Under the Ruby Trees
by Shimya
Summary: Sarah is a grown up and grown ups don't believe in wishes. But when Sarah finds herself thrown back to the Underground, there's more than Jareth waiting for her. Torn between love and hate, can Jareth protect her when all he wants to do is hurt her?
1. Chapter One

Under the Ruby Trees

By Shimya

Inspired by _The Labyrinth_, which is copyrighted, and not by me!

:Note:

This is a REPOST originally titled _The Price of Redemption_, but it sucked so I tweeked it to make it better. If you have read the earlier chapters posted, like, a year ago, please re-read and re-review!

:Synopsis:

Sarah is a grown up and grown ups don't believe in wishes. But when Sarah finds herself thrown back to the Underground, there's more than Jareth waiting for her. The Labyrinth has changed and a tyrant Queen is making all the difference. Torn between love and hate, can Jareth find a way to protect his secret love when all he wants to do is hurt her?

A twisted romance.

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Chapter One

The rain outside was rather depressing. The sky was a mess of black and grey clouds that seemed infinitely full of water that just continued to pour out to the Earth below, as if the sky was trying to drown the world. It had been like this for days- storming all day. Every now and then, lightning would shoot through the sky followed by a bellowing clap of thunder. Sarah had not enjoyed it one bit. In fact, Sarah hated it when it rained. Despite that fact, she couldn't tear her eyes from the window. The sky looked so beautiful and enticing when it cried, however sad it made her feel. It was her first day back home and things weren't as great as she had hoped.

"I hope you're feeling at home. I made sure Karen cleaned out this room for you…" Sarah jumped as her father leaned against the open bedroom door. "How are you feeling, honey?"

"Good." She smiled, for his sake. "It's just weird being back here."

"You're welcome to stay as long as you like. Divorce is never really easy and I know how hard it could be on you…" He scratched the back of his head, not knowing what to say.

_Divorce_. Such a nasty word. Sarah's nose scrunched up as it escaped her father's mouth. She cursed the retched man that created such an act. "I think I'll be okay. I shouldn't be staying long, just two or so weeks, until I find an apartment."

"He's keeping the house?"

_Her_ house. He was keeping _her_ house. She picked that house out after their honeymoon. It was hers for five years; now he was bringing in some other woman to take her place. Only because she was dumb enough to put it in his name because of his credit score. She sighed. "I guess so. Details haven't really been worked out yet. I mean…it was…sudden and unexpected."

Richard nodded. "I'm sorry sweetie. Karen is making dinner for the family tonight. She invited a few friends of hers over. You're welcome to join us."

She nodded and just as she began to unload her suitcase, a little boy ran through the door, pushing himself past his father. "Sarah! You really are here!" Toby yelled, throwing himself at the poor girl. She took him in her arms and smiled. "Hey kiddo."

"I saw your car in the driveway. Where's James?" He looked around the room. Richard cleared his throat, "Uh, Toby, go see if you could help your mom in the kitchen." With that, the eleven year old kissed his sister's cheek and skipped out the door. Sarah frowned.

"It'll be okay, honey." Richard said in reassurance. "I'll be downstairs. See you at dinner."

After he left, Sarah shut the door and sat on the bed, hiding her face in her hands. This was more difficult than she thought it would be. She was only twenty five and going through a divorce. The thought killed her. Five years of marriage straight down the drain. Five happy, lovely years- for nothing. She did not cry, she had no tears left to shed over her husband. She had gone on for months, knowing it was coming. She knew he was seeing another woman behind her back but she refused to accept it. Denial gets you nowhere, she knew that. But she just couldn't believe James would do this to her.

Looking up, Sarah noticed her old vanity. It was in the same shape she had left it when she moved out after graduating high school. Her reflection had changed a bit, though. Now, she wasn't wearing lipstick, or trying on tiaras, or reciting lines to her own reflection. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she had recited ANY lines from a play.

"_Yes I do…"_ That night. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she rubbed her aching temples. Since then, she wasn't the same person she had been before meeting the Goblin King. However, being a full grown woman, Sarah believed that her 'adventure' in the 'Underground' had been nothing but a dream. How could she believe anything different? Unknown worlds and fairies and dwarves and big red furry monsters weren't real. And she knew better than to tell anyone about them all- they would have sent her to an asylum. Karen had caught her talking to her friends one night; talking to _herself_.

Of course, the little talk that followed didn't end well. Her parents just thought she was lonely and that talking to herself was the way she dealt with not having many friends. After her one visit to a therapist, Sarah never said one word to her mirror ever again… and the images of her Underground companions stopped appearing behind the glass. She became convinced that it was all a dream. She told herself she was acting childish, and that she should stop and just grow the hell out of it all.

But even so…She did notice that after her return from that strange place in her mind, she stopped caring for all the enchantment the world had to offer. She just became so…normal. She just stopped believing in fairy tales and later that next morning, she boxed up her toys and costumes. She boxed away her _dreams_…

There was a light knock on the door. "Come in." She sighed, looking over to see Toby peeking through, holding a box. "You okay, sis?"

She nodded, "I'm fine sweetie." Such a lair. But there was no reason to involve her brother. He probably didn't know what divorce was. "What do you got there?"

He came into the room and set the large box down on the bed next to her. On the top was an old stuffed bear. _Lancelot_. She picked it up and smiled. "Where did you find this?"

"It was in the attic with a bunch of your old stuff. I went to go get it for you since you're staying with us." He sat down next to her. "I thought it would make you feel better. Dad keeps saying divorce is _hard_."

She looked at him. "You know?"

"They keep talking about it in the kitchen. I may be a kid but I'm not deaf." He looked though the box himself and pulled out an old book, _Where the Wild Things Are_, and started flipping through the pages. "This stuff is really old."

Sarah laughed. "Thanks. I read that book when I was a kid, you know. Does that make me really old?"

"Yeah, but you're pretty for an old lady. Mom's friends are old too, but their faces sag…" He made a face. "They're really really old."

Toby stayed there with her and talked until dinner was ready. She felt better having someone other than her dad and Karen. Talking to Toby usually always made things better. Oh how she loved him…

However, nothing, not even Toby's precious company could prepare her for the little scene that dinner would bring about.

Her little brother wasn't lying when he said these women were old. Although they all looked like the normal middle aged housewives, they bickered and gossiped like old ladies, fighting for the title of nosey neighbor. Although it annoyed Sarah to no end, it wasn't her place to make comments about their insolence. That would have been rude.

"So, Sarah, what brings you back to this little old town? Are you visiting?" One of them asked. Sarah nodded. "I'm relocating- looking for new job opportunities."

"She's going to get an apartment somewhere in the city," said Karen, butting into the conversation, like she normally did. "Her and her husband are having some problems."

Sarah took in a deep breath and Richard looked at his wife threateningly. "Karen…don't you think you should go get that pie in the oven?"

But it was too late. Her father's save didn't work. "Oh my, I'm so sorry. You know, my first husband was a horrible man. He cheated on me with his secretary and waited until after he got to Mexico to write me a letter telling me he wanted a divorce. Are you two getting a divorce, Sarah?"

Sarah opened her mouth to speak, to possibly kill this horrible conversation, but of course Karen had to continue. "Yep. He wants a divorce. Kicked her right out onto the street…"

Toby looked at Karen with wide surprised eyes. "Mom…" He, like his father, insisted her to shut up.

"Oh dear!"Another woman gasped. "Whatever for? Were you not giving it up dear? Men don't like that sort of thing…"

Sarah threw down her fork, her food forgotten. "I really don't feel comfortable talking about-"

Karen once again spoke up. "Oh no. Quite the opposite, actually. Sarah can't have babies."

"Can we please stop talking about this?" Sarah stood, her hands tightened into fists at her side. The whole room was quiet, everyone staring.

"Excuse me." She threw down her napkin and left the dining room in a fury, opening the front door and striding right out, slamming it behind her.

No, Karen wasn't a bad woman, and Sarah agreed that contrary to popular belief, step-mothers were not as evil as young step-daughters made them out to be. But in all truth, that woman was so **infuriating**.

How dare she just blab that out to those strangers! It wasn't any of their business why James wanted to get a divorce. She stomped to her car paying no mind to the rain and jumped in, jamming the keys into the ignition. She wanted to get away. She thought coming home would do it but alas, she was utterly wrong. She remembered that the park always seemed like the perfect place to go when you're feeling like crap. So why not?

It didn't take that long to get there. It was just a few blocks away from her house, down the street. She remembered how she used to walk there on the weekends, and play dress-up there after school. After she got there, she just turned off her car and rested her forehead against the steering wheel.

"Please don't tell me I have more tears to shed…" She pleaded with none in particular. She could feel the sting of tears behind her closed eyelids. But she refused to keep crying like a child. She refused to act so weak. It was happening whether she liked it or not, there was no use in crying about it. Crying never changed anything.

Sarah stepped out of her car and with her hands tucked in the pockets of her blue jeans, she took a walk. But she knew that no matter how many walks she took or how long she alienated herself from people, the pain wouldn't stop. Not only had she been cursed to be barren, but she had a husband that let that one negative trait get in the way of what love they had for each other. They tried to have a baby for almost two years. When that didn't work, she tried to convince him to adopt but obviously that got her nowhere.

And now she was alone and it wasn't fair.

Sarah sat down on the rain kissed grass, under a giant oak tree. Just thinking about it all made it worse. She didn't notice that she had let the tears go already. The rain kept washing them away. It wasn't fair… She wanted to say it out loud. She wanted to pout and cry and scream. She wanted to stomp her feet until she got her way. She wanted her husband back. She wanted her life back.

"It's not fair…" She whispered. "It's just not fair." And she cried. She sat there and cried with the sky for God knew how long. Her sobs just kept coming. And for hours all she said, over and over again was, "It's. Just. Not. Fair."

"Life never really is, now, is it Sarah?"

She gasped and yanked her head up to see no one there. But she knew better. _'He isn't real, Sarah. Stop it…'_

But what if it was him? What if he was there, watching her? Sarah mentally slapped herself. No. It was a dream. And even if it wasn't why would he have waited so long to torment her with his tricks? He wasn't real. He was only in her mind.

Unless…

She looked up to the sky, the bleak picture only darkening. "I wish…" She began, but did not finish.

And out there, somewhere, the goblins all stopped to hear her plea. They stopped and listened for her to finish her wish. They listened and they waited.

"I wish the goblins would come and take me away…"

"Finish it…" They whispered. "Finish it…" She could hear them; tiny voices ringing, telling her to wish herself away…would she listen? Would anything really happen?

"….right now…"

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I would appreciate any reviews to be given.


	2. Chapter Two

Under the Ruby Trees

By Shimya

Inspired by _The Labyrinth_, which is copyrighted, and not by me!

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Chapter Two

The sweet sound of violins drifted through the air like a serene requiem. People all around joked and laughed. Happiness and joy simply radiated from these people as they danced and socialized with one another. However, despite all that, the social rank of such guests made her sick.

The ball before her was one of distaste. For this queen anything less than perfection was simply intolerable. Yet, it was necessary for her plans. For this masque in particular would mark the beginning on a new era in the Underground, one that she would benefit from for centuries to come. This thought alone was all that kept her smiling all night as she paraded around the ball room, her masquerade mask not only hiding her face from the public party but also guising her lies. Anyone that looked into those apple green eyes long enough would have known that she had something sinister planned. However, how could anyone notice when everyone was having such a wondrous night

No. None of her guests knew what fate would hold for them in the moments to come, for all of her guests were human. Now why would such a noble lady host a celebration and only invite the lowest class of individuals ever to grace the soil of the Underground? That was the question on everyone's lips, however, the humans dared not to ask. Their queen was offering them a night to get away from the suffering of mortal men. Perhaps it was because the beginning of the solstice was approaching and the spring harvest had proven such a glorious success that it was only necessary to host such a brilliant party. Or maybe their dear queen was trying to gain the popularity of her lower class citizens, so that she may better rule her kingdom.

For whatever reason, Morrigan Valetkre, Queen of the Vampyre masses of the Underground, was hosting a party specifically for her human underlings. And the only people that knew why were herself, her minions, and Jareth. Yes, Jareth, King of Goblins knew and he was not as amused.

He danced with her there in the center of the ballroom, bodies close, eyes staring at one another. The guests were enveloped in the beauty of these two creatures as they danced. Humans from every corner gathered to watch them while, unknown to any of them, the ballroom doors were being locked shut from the outside.

"Do you know how long I've waited to dance with you?" Morrigan sighed, her crimson lips curving into a smile. "I'm sure all the royal ladies of the Underground would die to be in my position right now."

"I'm confident they would die to be in mine as well, your highness," He dipped her low, her arm stretching above her head in the perfect pose for the human voyeurs. He leaned in, his lips close enough to devour hers, "They would love to be close enough to wring your pretty little neck…" His comment came quietly, tone dripping with darkness and malice. As he lifted her back up, she yanked his body against her own, the smile she had so generously displayed just moments earlier gone and replaced with a stern look.

"Don't be so dramatic, Jareth. If they knew you were involved in the events about to take place, they'd want your head on a pedestal outside their castle walls." She smiled again, her beautiful canines growing longer with each word spoken. "Besides, it is you under my spell, not the other way around. You have no right to threaten me so."

"Morrigan, this is not a game."

But to her, this was all a game. And as a game, so had it been played out.

The music ended and Morrigan walked away from the Goblin King to her throne at the back of the ballroom. Once there, she raised her hand to the ceiling for silence. She was the very essence of beauty and power- her tight, silk black gown dragging behind her, her long gold tresses pooled on the floor below her. She was indeed the very embodiment of a true queen, if there ever was one.

The humans circled around her royal stage and hushed each other as the queen stood before them. "My people," Her voice was soft, yet, firm. It mirrored the sweet sound that she had hoped her message would convey. "I have invited you into my home tonight to mark a new era in this Northern Kingdom, and in the history of the Underground.

No longer will you be forced to work the duties of a slave. No longer will your children be taken from you by the armies. No longer will you be harassed by my fellow Vampyre- No longer will you yield to the torment and suffering your kind have been put through!"

The people watched their queen with excitement in their eyes. Her promises of a brighter future for the humans of the Northern Kingdom was more than some could bear. With each word spoken, they raised their fists to the ceiling and cheered as she continued her speech. Jareth watched as well, the look in his eyes one of dismay. Although he was no righteous creature, he was certainly moral. The scene before him seemed to play out right into Morrigan's hands and all he could think of was what was going to happen next.

"I am giving you all the chance to change your futures for yourselves and your children and your children's children. Tonight, I will offer you the world and should you choose to take it, nothing but good fortune and promise will lay ahead of you….However…" Morrigan looked straight into Jareth's eyes and smiled so deviously that the humans could almost sense her dark intentions.

"You must prove yourself worthy."

People looked at each other in confusion; whispers of uncertainty flooded the ballroom. But Morrigan only raised her voice, "In order to become part of this new world, this new era, you must bow down to me and acknowledge me as your one and only Goddess! You must take upon yourself the mark of the Vampyre and join the clan of the Northern Kingdom! You must become one with your Goddess! And if you so choose not to abide by this decree, you will face death!"

"You will never be seen as my God!"

Silence swept the frightened crowds once again as the Queen's face twisted into an ugly look of dissatisfaction. Her eyes scanned the audience in search of her lone oppressor. "Come to me, brave little human…." She pointed in the center of the crowd and her minions grasped the man's arms and dragged him to her, forcing him to his knees before the Queen. "Do you not wish to be a part of this beautiful future of mine?" She knelt down to his level and pulled his chin up, her eyes gazing into his. "Do you wish to ruin my vision?" She made a sad face and tilted her head to the side for his response.

"I accept you as my lady, your highness, but I will never accept you as my savior. I will never willingly take on the dreaded mark that turns me into a fiend such as you. This I am sure of." And with that, he spit in her face, the crowd gasping at this action. Jareth closed his eyes as if in pain.

Morrigan stood and stepped back, wiping the saliva off of her cheek. Instead of lashing out in an uncontrollable rage, she simply smiled at the crowd and laughed. "Heh. A rebel." She chuckled as a servant handed her a dagger. "Let me show you what happens to those who deny me, my children…"

She pulled his hair back, jerking his head up toward the crowd, his collar exposed to all who might reject her version of faith. She kissed his cheek, her lips bushing against his ear ever-so lightly. "Consider yourself my first sacrifice." She whispered as she pressed the knife to his pulsing neck and looked at her future followers. "In the name of Morrigan!" And then she slit open his throat, the blood flowing from him and onto the ballroom floor.

The humans screamed in panic and all lashed out toward the doors. When they realized they could not flea, they only banged on the doors, screaming for help and begging for their lives. Jareth did not move as the people pushed past him, knocking one another to the ground in the process. He only looked at the Queen as she began to feast upon the blood of the innocent man. With her mouth and hands soiled with the scarlet liquid, she threw her head back and laughed as her guards began to murder anyone who refused her wish

There was nothing that could be done.

And then he heard it- the sound of someone calling out to him. All the screams seemed to fade into the distance as the voices of the goblins grew louder and louder.

"She said it! She said the words!"

And Jareth could feel the pull of his purpose. In an instant, he became the white owl and flew into the Aboveground world, leaving the bloody massacre behind. He would no longer be part of that scene. Now, he had a different job to do. And at this moment, he appeared in a familiar place, as if reliving the events that had taken place so many years ago.

The rain trickled down his white cloak-like feathers as he looked for his new prey of disposition. He could see that his Goblins had already begun to harass the wish maker. There she was, looking around violently as they hid in the trees and bushes around her, pinching her when she looked away, hitting her on her head with pine cones from the trees…he expected as much. But what he didn't expect was that his little wish maker had been anything but a little child wishing their sibling away…

Instead, it was a woman. It was an adult woman. And not just any woman…it was Sarah.

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Any reviews would be appreciated.


	3. Chapter Three

Under the Ruby Trees

By Shimya

Inspired by _The Labyrinth_, which is copyrighted, and not by me!

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Chapter Three

Sarah was not prepared for the events that took place after she had recited her wish. She believed that no matter how many times someone might wish someone, or themselves, away, it was only a wish and wishes didn't come true. There was no magic. There were no fairy godmothers. There was no escaping reality.

Something pinched her arm and she yanked her head up to look at her right arm. Then she felt another pinch on the left but when she looked, there was nothing there. As the rain fell, she heard whispers and giggles surround her. The bushes moved and the trees shuddered. She got to her feet quickly and looked around, her eyes darting back and forth and all around her. A pine cone fell on her head and when she looked up, she saw a creature flea back into the hollow of the tree…_This was impossible._

A crystal ball, seemingly from nowhere, rolled in her direction and stopped when it hit her foot. Sarah looked down at it in awe. "This can't be happening…"

"I assure you, Sarah, it is happening. My only question is why." She jerked her head up. His voice was smooth and soft like velvet as he appeared before her in his normal dramatic glittering thrall. He looked the same as he had ten years ago, the sheer image of perfection all wrapped up in a ribbon of fantasy and mystery.

"You're not real."She stated, standing up straight as if gaining the confidence to battle her inner demons. She must have fallen asleep under the oak tree. Either that or she was hallucinating. Stuff like that happens when you're under stress- nothing a good ol' pill wouldn't cure.

He chuckled and brought a gloved hand to his face and the crystal that lay forgotten at Sarah's feet appeared in his fingers. "Would you like to bet your freedom on that, little girl?" He twisted the crystal this way and that.

Sarah backed away into the tree, her eyes mirroring a look of despair. "You can't be real." She repeated to herself. "It was all a dream. It had to have been a dream…"

In a split second, Jareth was in front of Sarah, one hand resting on the tree behind her, the other fiddling with the crystal in front of her. His face was inches away from hers. She could see right into his unforgettable eyes, one the color of ice, the other mirroring the reflection of a haunting wood. She quickly became uncomfortable of her delusion; she could feel his breath on her neck, and that was something illusions couldn't do.

The Goblin King ignored her continuous statement and instead, asked a question he was extremely eager to have answered. "Why would you wish yourself away knowing no one would be able to win you back from me?"

She just stared at him, the realization of what she had done sinking in. She had wished herself away, believing nothing would come of it. What had she done? This was all real. _What had she done?_

Jareth smiled. "You do know what happens to little girls that wish **themselves** away, don't you?"

She shook her head, unknowing. But the smile on his face was more than enough to give it away. _'Please, don't say it…'_

"They turn into goblins, Sarah. I take them to the castle and they turn into little ugly goblins."

Sarah closed her eyes tightly shut, hoping that he wouldn't be there when she opened them. "Please, I didn't know…"

"Didn't know?" His tone became suddenly rough, aggressive even. "Didn't know? Of course you didn't." He backed away from her and threw his hands in the air. "Instead, you threw out everything you learned, everything I taught you, and told yourself it was nothing more than your imagination!"

"I didn't mean to!" She raised her voice as he did, her eyes meeting hers once again. She hated being talked at like she was a child. Her eyes burned into him with anger and frustration. He sighed. "No, you never really mean to. You didn't _mean_ to wish Toby away all those years ago, you didn't _mean_ to try and cheat your way through the Labyrinth, and you didn't _mean_ to throw away your dreams…"

Sarah looked away, that last part hitting a nerve. It did not go unnoticed by the Goblin King. He tilted his head to the side and brought the crystal up to meet her gaze. "Tell me, Sarah," the image of a fifteen year old version of her appeared in the center of the glass, packing up her toys and costumes, forever to be locked away. "How does it feel to have lost your dreams?"

And then the image changed into the ballroom scene, the two of them dancing at the masquerade, together locked in that moment of trance. "Do you enjoy being exactly the same as everybody else that walks the streets on their way to live their lifeless and pathetic lives?"

"Stop it…" She demanded her voice low and threatening. And with that, he crushed the crystal in his hand, the glass crumbling into a million particles of glittering dust. "What a pity."

"Give them back…" She choked out the words, not wanting to ask him for her true heart's desire. She wanted nothing more than to have the spirit she had lost that night. She stopped being her when her dreams were ripped from her very being. All she wanted was to have them back. If she couldn't have her old life or her husband, at least let her have her dreams.

"Give them back?" He repeated, mocking her, taunting her. "My dear, the Underground forgot all about your dreams the moment _you_ forgot about _it_."

"You're lying!" She yelled out at him, the Goblins jumping at the crack of thunder that followed, making the trees and bushes shudder.

Jareth shook his head. "I only speak the truth. They were lost the moment you spoke those horrid words." His eyes lost their hardness for just a moment as he mused on the past. "But enough of this squandering, Sarah. You must come with me," He smiled, "back to the Underground."

Sarah's heart began to race the moment she heard his words. Her mind was going in circles and she didn't know what to do. "You have no power over me."

The Goblin King was not amused by her outburst. He gave her a threatening look. "Sarah, don't start with this childish nonsense."

"You have no power over me." She repeated, waiting for him to disappear into oblivion, back into nonexistence.

But…nothing happened.

Her brow arched in confusion. Why wasn't it working? She looked at the man before her as he looked at her with amusement. "Expecting me to disappear, little girl?"

"Why-?" She pressed her back against the oak tree, baffled and frightened by this realization. That's when Jareth threw his head back and laughed a sinister, ominous laugh. "Despite all popular belief, such a line doesn't have an effect me. I chose to leave you be when I did. The words only helped sway me to abandon you here in this reality."

"No…that's not right. That's not how it's supposed to go."

"I assure you. It was only a matter of time before you would return to that world of fantasy. It's exactly how it's _supposed_ to go." He offered out his gloved hand to her, waiting for her to take it. "Come with me, Sarah. I know you want to go back."

She looked at his hand with both fear and amazement. Should she take his hand? Would she? What if she refused? Did she even want to refuse?

"I don't want to become a goblin, Jareth."

He smiled. "Sarah, you were the only one that has ever been able to beat the Labyrinth. I can't turn such a precious commodity into something as wretched as a goblin." He assured her, and grabbed her himself before she could refuse him on another basis. She felt his arms wrap around her as she became lost in his glittering glory.

And somewhere, deep in the Underground, the Northern Queen of the Vampyre showered in a magnificent bath of blood, awaiting the return of her beautiful pet. Jareth had left during her inquisition and massacre of her human underlings and knew that after he was finished with whatever little brat had challenged his Labyrinth, he would return to her.

Morrigan mused as she soaked in her tub. Yes, the Goblin King had been tamed; nevertheless it was impossible to keep him on a leash. Since the day he became indebted to her, there was no keeping him in one place, like she hoped. His talents and political power were of great use to one such as her, but they were also curses that allowed him to wander free on both plains of reality. It was proving to be difficult to keep tags on him.

Morrigan looked on the far wall of her royal bathing room. Soon, she'd have the Goblin King's full attention once more, allowing her to take on the next step of her plan.

However, what she didn't know was that Sarah was already working her own magic on him. The Fae watched the mortal woman through his crystal as she slept in a locked room of his castle. At first he thought about keeping her in an oubliette but threw out that idea almost immediately, knowing that Sarah's temper would surely get in the way of his trying to be discrete with her appearance in the Underground.

But he wouldn't be able to hide her for long.

Not only was Sarah a human, but she was also the same human that sent him to trial before the rest of the four kingdoms when she had beaten his game. Such a failure nearly caused him banishment. Morrigan was the one that swayed the others into his favor. Of course, it wasn't free. In fact, it came with a heavy price. The simple use of her political persuasion cost him his own already battered reputation, as well as his freedom. He had no idea what he was getting into the moment he decided to trust Morrigan in getting him out of that situation. He had no idea what a mess she would create.

With Sarah there, it only made things all the more complicated. Jareth sat on his stone throne, playing with his crystals as he lost himself in thought. What could he do with such a precious treasure?

The Vampyre Queen was conducting genocide on all humans in the Underground, starting with the slaves in her realm. With the vampyre gene spreading onto the only possible other race that it could inhabit, it only made the numbers of her armies grow. She was planning a full fledged attack on the rest of the Underground. She wanted it all.

To the North, she resided in the icy habitat of the Underground, Vibenae, where it was winter all the time and the snow never melted. There, the Vampyre ruled the lands. Humans, among other creatures were reduced to simple peasants, having fewer rights in Vampyre territories. However, it was a punishment for past crimes. In the times of yore, it was in fact the humans that ruled over the northern lands and it was them who had cast the first stone upon the demon-like creatures known as the Vampyre. Sympathy diminished over time for the mortals as the creatures fought back against them and eventually they overcame their own suffering by taking over the North. But that was several centuries ago. Now, the treatment of humans in the north had become somewhat of an outlander issue. The council that made up the senate of the Underground Kingdoms had decided to keep a look on Morrigan and her intentions when she took power. The other Vampyre on the committee disagreed with most of her ideologies but they had no choice but to abide.

To the South, in the forests of Nixxia, the Fae were all powerful. It was there where Jareth himself had been raised. However, his people did not take kindly to humans either. Although the level of aggression was significantly less there compared to Morrigan's Kingdom, the Fae were also guilty of using humans as household maids and servants. They were among the most disappointed and ashamed when news got out that Jareth had been beaten by a human girl. They were still angry at him, to this very day, for the embarrassment he had caused.

Faerie ruled the Western forests of Vikta. They were a kind and gentle race but hardly ever to be taken lightly. They had the largest army in all the Underground and the most politically powerful of the five kingdoms. Not many humans resided in the Western Kingdom, it just wasn't accepted. The Faerie, however sympathetic they were to the strife of the humans in the Underground, did not like them. They believed they were barbaric creatures and, because nature and earthly bounds was their God, they thought humans were too nasty to the land and environments. However, their opinions were mostly based on the Aboveground examples of human authority.

Elves ruled the territories to the East, Komea, the place where the oceans and rivers made wake. Humans there were treated with the utmost respect, practically part of the royal families themselves. There had been several accounts of interracial marriages all around the lands of the East. There, it was no issue. Elves, in fact, didn't think humans were much different from themselves.

And in the center of it all resided Jareth, King of the Labyrinth, which connected all the kingdoms together. It was true that the Labyrinth used to be ruled by goblins, however, somewhere along the way, they became too disrespectful toward its magic. The former king of Goblin City was quickly disposed of by the rest of the council when they ruled that he did not know how to control such a valuable asset to the Underground. And soon after, Jareth was chosen to take on the role of the Goblin King.

But Sarah could not stay with him. He knew that she would have to either be turned into a goblin or sent away to a safer place. For you see, Jareth was indebted to Morrigan when she convinced the high council to grant him sovereignty even though a human from the Aboveground had learned of all the magic of the Labyrinth. And he agreed to pay her back. Because he had control over the Labyrinth, she needed him on her side to cross into the other kingdoms. And she was going to use it to her utmost advantage in the slaughter she meant to bring upon the rest of the outer rim of the Underground.

Jareth sighed. He had made a pact with Morrigan that was unbreakable. Either way, he was in a bad situation. He was beginning to think that maybe, banishment to the Aboveground would have been better in the long run. Now, he was going to be a part of a war. News of Morrigan's first attack on her own people would soon spread and with that, the courts of all the lands would meet. He was to be expected, being the King of the Labyrinth. After all, being the only sane creature in the Central territory, he was the only representative of the Goblin Kingdom that was on the council. But he didn't know what Morrigan wanted him to do with the power that his senate seat brought him.

He twisted his crystal in his hands once again and saw that Sarah was beginning to come to from her magic induced slumber. He shook his head. Why did she call to him? Why couldn't she have just stayed in her safe little world of reality where nearly nothing is possible? Why couldn't she have just been happy with the path she had chosen for herself?

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Any reviews appreciated.


	4. Chapter Four

Under the Ruby Trees

By Shimya

Inspired by _The Labyrinth_, which is copyrighted, and not by me!

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Chapter Four

_Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl whose step mother always made her stay home with the baby._

She could hear the music and laughter in the air. She could smell the sweet scent of magic, spinning itself around her. Sarah stood there in the middle of a familiar ballroom scene, dressed in none other than the gown she had worn in this same dream when she was only fifteen. Only now, the young girl had been transformed into a woman.

_The baby was a spoiled child and he wanted everything for himself, and the girl was practically a slave. _

She moved around the masked people as they taunted her. They taunted and laughed at her for reasons she was even unknown to. As she moved, her eyes glanced over every face, every smile. She was looking for him. She was trying to find Jareth. But he was nowhere to be found among the crowds. No matter how many directions she looked or where she wandered, he was not there.

_But what no one knew…_

A gloved hand rested on her shoulder and she spun around. There he was! She smiled the biggest smile she could ever muster and he took her in his arms and held her close. He leaned into her and finally, after so very long, they shared a kiss. As his lips touched hers, she could feel a wave of excitement go through her. The world around them seemed to slow to a stop. The guests could no longer be heard or seen. It was just them, just the two- sharing their first kiss…

…_was that the Goblin King fell in love with the girl, and gave her certain powers…_

Sarah's eyes fluttered open to an elaborate painted ceiling. She lay there for a moment, examining her memories of how she had ended up in a bed surrounded by oil masterpieces. Her fingers went to her lips and then away again.

She had been dreaming.

Her heart began to race. She had had a dream! It had been ten years since she had dreamed of more than a black abyss of nothing. She sat up quickly but when she realized where she was, her mood swiftly died in her chest.

Yes. She had dreamed- a sign that her imagination had not been completely gone. However, she was in the Underground. Her dreams had not returned to her, it was only magic that had caused such a miracle to take place. It was only magic.

She sighed and looked around the large room. She knew she must have been in the castle, judging by the details around the room. The sheets on the large bed were silken and felt good against her bare skin. The only light in the room illuminated from the open gothic window at the other end of the room. She could see it was morning in the Underground. Had she really been sleeping that long?

The door opened, and Sarah's head bolted in that direction to see the infamous Goblin King standing in the doorway. Her thoughts went to her dream. Had he induced such thoughts? Was it he that planted such a picture in her head, as he had done when she ate the poison peach? She immediately became angry. How could he do such a thing, knowing that her dreams were forever gone?

"Why would you do that?" She asked. It was more of a demand than a question. Jareth was taken aback by her outburst. The look on her face shifted to an irritated expression. His brow wrinkled in confusion.

"Why did you plant that dream in my head? You knew I hadn't dreamt in years, why would do that to me?"

Jareth smiled and entered the room completely, shutting the door behind him. "Sarah, Sarah, Sarah," he mused, walking closer to her. "I did no such thing."

"Oh _really_?" She scoffed.

His eyebrows rose. "What was it about?"

Sarah blushed. She was wrong. She thought quickly. "My husband…"

The Goblin King took in a breath. He had missed much since the day he decided to stop his spying on the girl. Even after she had left the Labyrinth, he continued to watch her until he told himself to stop. His obsession with her would only lead him to his demise. So he stopped. Often did he think about picking up his crystal and just checking up on her but he was afraid of what he'd see. He didn't want to watch her become such an ordinary soul. It was painful to think that Sarah, the one and only human to ever beat him and the Labyrinth, would become so…normal.

But he soon regretted not listening to his obsession. He had missed too much. He knew nothing of this woman in front of him.

"If you were happy with this man, you would have had no reason to wish yourself away." His voice sounded harsh, a little too rough than he had intended. He was…jealous.

She was silent for a moment. Sarah looked down at the red silken sheets and closed her eyes. "Take me home."

"You are home. For now, at least."

She sighed and shook her head. "Don't you understand," her eyes opened as she looked up at him. "I can't stay here. I don't belong here. I have a family in the Aboveground."

It pained him to hear such words. Had she had children with this husband of hers? Was Sarah really a mother and a wife? Such thoughts stabbed at him. He felt threatened. And the Goblin King did not like feeling threatened.

He took a few steps forward and conjured a crystal. Twisting it, the image of this so called husband appeared. He was dining with another woman, caressing her legs, kissing her cheek, whispering secrets into her ear… Sarah stared at the picture, pain evident in her eyes.

"It looks like this husband of yours is nothing more than a scoundrel."

"Turn it off. Make it stop." She whined, her eyes still glued to it. Why wouldn't she look away?

But Jareth had no intentions of abiding. A wicked smile painted his face. "He looks like he enjoys this woman, Sarah. Did you know that his heart lies with her?"

James poured champagne into two glasses and they toasted together as he raised the divorce papers from under the table. He was acting like it was a surprise for her. She felt broken, imagining him being so very happy that the divorce papers were only days from being signed.

"Stop." She whispered, water stinging her dry eyes as tears threatened to fall. "It's none of your business. It's none of anyone's damned business!" She stood, snatching the crystal from Jareth's hands. He did nothing to stop her as she swung the glass ball into the wall, shattering the image into a thousand pieces of glitter and dust. He only watched, like a cat, eyes piercing into the young woman with devious curiosity.

"Temper, temper, Sarah." He said, mocking her, taunting her. Like the people in her dream. Sarah looked him in the eyes, face fuming, tears running down her cheeks. But these tears were not tears of sadness, no; they were tears of anger and frustration.

How much anger had this enticing creature called Sarah have bottled up within her petite form? Jareth did not know, but intended on finding out how much more criticism and humiliation she could withstand. He would have his revenge on her. She would pay somehow- for beating him, for embarrassing him, for standing up to him….and for denying him.

"You have no idea of the pain I've been put through Jareth. You have no right to keep me here; in a place where pain is the only way out! I will not torture myself again, losing everything to your silly games!" She yelled, her hands balled up into fists at her side, her tears never ceasing.

But that was something the king would not stand for. Jareth came at Sarah, slamming her back into the wall, pinning her arms against the stone. Her eyes were wide, surprised. However, Jareth kept his composure as he leaned in, his nose inches away from her own. "Come to your senses, Sarah. Look where you are. This is my domain, not yours. You have no power here, stop acting like you do." He whispered, his lips bushing over hers.

He wanted to kiss her, to contradict her and prove that he was the more powerful creature. But Jareth knew better. He backed away from her slightly and continued his threat. "Believe me, little girl, the so called pain you've endured is nothing compared to what's left for you here. You say you lost everything when you beat the Labyrinth, as if you hadn't won at all. But Sarah, it's you that has no idea of what your victory did to me. Rule number one, while you stay in this house, under my command, you are indebted to me- you are mine and I will not allow you to throw your fits and tantrums like I allowed you to on your last visit. The Underground has changed, Sarah and if you don't change with it, you will do more than wish yourself to a better place- you will wish for your untimely demise. Do I make myself clear?" He warned his tone calm and sinister.

Sarah said nothing and just continued to stare, the tears in her eyes seemingly starting all over again. She felt helpless, vulnerable, and alone; but worst of all, she felt just like a child. He made her feel like a damned little kid, lost and defenseless.

"Sarah? Do you understand?"

She nodded slowly, closing her eyes and taking a breath as he let her go. "Rule number two," He began, backing away from her towards the door. "Never mention the Aboveground ever again. Not to me and certainly not to anyone else. If I even hear the word come out of your mouth, I will sew your lips **shut**."

Sarah held in a cry, nodding her head again, keeping her eyes shut tight as she slid down the stone wall.

"Oh, and, Sarah… I'm expecting company very soon. Do behave while they're here, hm?" And then he was gone, shutting the door behind him. Sarah waited for the sound of his footsteps to disappear before moving. She had never been so frightened of him ever before, even when he had taken Toby. Now, Jareth seemed even more cold and intimidating. Had he really just threatened to sew her mouth shut? This was insane. Everything was unbelievable. She was going crazy.

Sarah stood and wiped the tears from her face, quickly trying to regain her composure. Was she really just going to sit there and take all of that? Of course not. That was not an option for her. It never was.

However, before she could start devising a plan for her escape, the door opened once more to let in a little goblin. She waddled in, an annoyed expression playing her ugly features. "The master demands that ye prepare for the arrival of the council." She squeaked as she made her way to a white oak dresser on the other side of the room. "Ye' are to dress appropriately and be on yer best behavior." She knocked on the large wardrobe in several different places. Sarah watched with curiosity as she unlocked the center case and opened it to reveal a different array of colored gowns and apparel. "Pick one but don't take too long lookin'. I'm not gonna wait for ye all day."

"Who are you?"

"You are my ward, miss. My name is Ursula."

She expected her to leave, but she didn't. The little goblin lady just sat there, waiting. Sarah didn't have time for these games. She pulled a random dress from the wardrobe and quickly changed into it. However, to her agitated surprise, the dress she happened to pull out was a plain looking faded blue rag of a thing. She looked through the clothes. They were all that way. The goblin chuckled. "Humans like ye don't wear pretty things in this kingdom, lady."

"Am I a slave or something?"

"Of course not! Yer a servant of Lord Jareth. They only do the slave thing up north, where that wicked little witch lives." She shook her wobbly head, grabbing Sarah's hand and pulling her down to her own level. "But ye sure look like a slave with that mess of hair on top of yer head there." She hit Sarah on the top of her head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"I'm fixin' ye."

Sarah stepped away from the abusive goblin, wanting desperately to kick it. But when she glanced at herself in a vanity that mysteriously took the place of the wardrobe, she noticed that her mess of hair had become brushed and curled in a wavy fashion. She shook her head. "Magic is so confusing in its workings."

Ursula pulled on her dress and started for the door. "Now, remember to behave. And only speak when you're spoken to. And don't be sarcastic with the King and his guests. And don't-"

Sarah kicked the creature away, so hard that she rolled into a wall. "I don't plan on staying here that long." With Ursula struggling, Sarah bolted down the hall, looking every which way for a way out. The only problem was that she was unconscious when she was brought there. Where was the door?

She came across staircases that lead both up and down. As she began heading downward, she stopped. _Things are not always what they seem here._ With that thought in mind, she turned her heel and went upward. It lead her onto another floor, practically identical to the one below. Her bare feet made little noise on the stone floor as she ran down the hall. There was another staircase. It lead down.

"Why does this castle have to be exactly like the Labyrinth that surrounds it?" She complained, going down the stairs. But in her rush, she bumped into someone, and fell down the rest of the stairs, landing on her side. She cursed her clumsiness noticing that her knee was bleeding from the impact of stone.

The person she bumped into, however, was everything but comforting. The man said nothing to her, only stared her down, agitated. Sarah looked up at him and immediately felt threatened. He was lean and masculine under his strange gothic attire, his skin pale and his eyes the color of roses. His hair was long and black, pulled back. This man's presence made her feel like prey and that's how he looked at her, like fresh meat.

"No apologies, servant?" He sounded disgusted at her manners.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm lost and-"

"You're bleeding." His eyes drifted to her exposed knee. He bent to her level to examine it. "I was unaware Jareth had human servants. He was one to always act against such things…." He touched her knee, the blood coming off on his fingers. "Unless of course, he intends to give you as a gift." His eyes met hers. Sarah decided then and there that this man, whoever he was, was not someone she liked.

He put his finger to his mouth and licked the blood away. Sarah's heart began to race. Was this a joke? The Underground also housed vampires? Things were getting ridiculous. "No. I'm sorry, you're completely mistaken. I'm not a servant nor am I a toy." She stood quickly, backing away from him. She winced when she took a step back, her knee frickin' hurt.

"Oh really?" He smiled a toothy grin. He had fangs. This feat made her panic. "Really." She said, taking a deep breath.

"Where did ya go ye little wench!" They heard Ursula yelling as she came down the stairs. She had finally caught up. The little creature stopped when she saw the vampire. Her little eyes darted between him and Sarah before she started stammering, "Oh, Lord Jareth will not be pleased with ye, girl. Harassin' the guests is a big no no in this castle." She waddled to Sarah, keeping her distance from the dangerous creature in front of them. "Mi lord!" She cried. "Mi lord, I found her!"

Before things could go any further, Jareth appeared out of nowhere. "Orin."

The Vampyre stood, his eyes never leaving Sarah. "Jareth, you never told me you housed a human servant."

Jareth looked at Sarah with annoyance. "It is of no importance to you."

Orin laughed, "No. Of course not. But mind you, if she ever gets out of hand, you know where to send her. She seems like an ample commodity."

Sarah went pale. Jareth shook his head, a cruel smile playing his lips. "Such a threat might just make her _listen_ for once. Now come, we must discuss the events that have taken place in the Northern Kingdom with the council."

Orin nodded, glancing once more at Sarah before walking down the hall toward the Great Hall. Ursula waddled to Jareth and looked up at him, shaking her head. "That one's a nasty creature, highness. I don't understand why ye ever let them people step foot in this kingdom."

"Take Sarah to her room. Don't let her out of your sight."

"Yes sire."

"Oh and don't hesitate to punish her for her disrespect once she is returned to your watch."

Ursula smiled an ugly goblin grin. "Oh yes sire." Then she began to waddle back up the stairs cackling to herself.

Sarah looked at Jareth. "Punish me? What kind of punishment?"

"The punishment deemed worthy enough for one who tries to escape." He motioned for her to follow the goblin.

"Jareth, please-"

"Rule number three," he pointed a finger in her face, "Don't call me by my name. You are a servant in this household. You are to address me as the goblins do. If you do not, my guests will think it crucial to dispose of such a disrespectful creature, and I will have no choice but to hand you over to someone like Orin."

Sarah swallowed a lump in her throat. "Sorry."

"Go."

Sarah sighed and followed the goblin. "I'm still going to escape this place, you know. No matter what you may think, this servant thing is only temporary." Then she left, off to find her way back to wherever the hell she came from.

He opened the twin doors to reveal a much decorated room with thrones lined on every wall. It was a meeting room for the nobles of each kingdom. In the left corner, Orin sat with a man and a woman, representing the Northern Kingdom of the Vampyre. In the right corner, two females sat together representing the Eastern Kingdom of the Elves. On the left, the Faerie were represented by a man and two women, human in size but with large, glittering wings folded behind their backs. And to the right wall, the Fae were represented by three men, identical to Jareth in the glittering sense. And there, in the back of the room, in the center, was an empty throne for him, ruler of the Labyrinth, the Central Kingdom of Goblins.

All bickering that had taken place before his entrance stopped instantly as he walked to his seat.

"As you all know, we are here to discuss the happenings that took place in the Northern Kingdom last night, involving Queen Morrigan and the mass murder of at least five hundred human slaves." He stated, looking around the room. "I open this hall for discussion and the overall conclusion for a possible solution to this problem."

"What Morrigan did was murder, ladies and gentlemen. Mass murder." The Queen of Elves stood, "There is only one simple solution to such a crime and that is termination."

"Termination is out of the question, Xenia." Orin stood. "You must remember that in the Northern Kingdom, humans are property. They have no rights. Unlike in your precious wood-land, humans are murdered for disobedience and disrespect every day. That is no crime where Morrigan resides."

"He is right. Morrigan is Queen of her territory. Her laws are what she wills it. However, reason for such a massacre cannot possibly be punishment. These humans were guests at a ball she was hosting." Adriel, King of the Fae, spoke up.

"Well, if you would have allowed her to come, she could tell you herself why such an execution took place…" Orin complained. "Perhaps then, we wouldn't be wasting time with all this bickering."

"The fact that she killed five hundred in one night must strike as odd, Orin, even to one such as you. This could be the first move to become a superpower. The day we've all feared may come to pass in a matter of months." The Queen of the Faerie, Dafna, spoke. "Your race is the only one that can reproduce itself without giving birth to generations. If Morrigan wants to start a war, she very well could. How many of the humans took the Mark of Blood?"

Orin sighed. "It is unknown at this point. We have yet to visit with Morrigan to know for certain. But I'm sure she would not dare start a war. She has no need to!"

"You have too much faith in your queen, senator." Xenia said, laughing at his denial. "But you must face the truth. Morrigan is a difficult creature. She has never been a fan of the system that has held up in the Underground for thousands of years. She thinks of herself as a maverick. She wants things to change. And not only that, but she is jealous of the lands we hold. Your race rules the icy territories of the North. The resources there are scarce. She has had her eye on the rest of us since she became Queen."

"Now don't get ahead of yourself. War? In the Underground? That's preposterous! We've lived in peace for hundreds of years. Morrigan would be foolish to start a war now. The economic structure of our Kingdoms is at a record high. We would squish any resistance to our system within days." Adriel said.

Jareth listened to each faction argue. He could not help but feel guilty for his silence. Morrigan was going to start a war, and although they thought they would be able to take her down if she did, they were not prepared for such a massive attack that she would surely bring. Even the Faerie, with the largest army out of all of them, would stand no chance against thousands of thirsty monsters, starved by months of detention and out for blood.

The voices of the council soon drifted away as Jareth heard her calling for him. Yes, it was her, calling his name like he was her errand boy.

"_Jareth."_

He ignored her and tried to focus on the meeting.

"_Jareth, come here, pet. I need you."_

"What about you, Jareth? What do you think?" Dafna asked, eyeing the king. "Do you think a war is coming?"

Jareth shifted in his seat. "I believe…there is not enough evidence to support such a theory. However, the moment we get an estimate of how many of the humans took the mark of her clan, we will know what she's planning. But first, we must find out."

"If a mass number of them did, we know she is building an army." Adriel stated, shaking his head. "Orin, you must find out as soon as possible. Any information leading to the assumption that we are on the brink of war might prevent such a thing from happening."

Orin scowled at his audience. "Such thoughts would have you killed in our kingdom. The Queen is no tyrant. I will prove this to you."

"Lucky for us we don't live in your damned kingdom then." Xenia spat. "If it weren't for the treaty, peace between our two kingdoms would be a complete joke."

Orin glared at the Elven Queen. "Believe me, it is a complete joke."

Jareth stood, putting his hands up to stop the arguing. "All in favor of waiting for more evidence before prosecuting Morrigan please say so."

They all agreed.

"We will meet once again to discuss the fate of the Vampyre queen in five days. Until then, please, contemplate all possibilities."

And with that, everyone stood and left the room. Jareth stayed behind.

"_Jareth…come to me."_

Jareth got up and closed the Great Hall doors. "What have I gotten myself into?" And then, he took the form of the white owl, and vanished from his castle to greet his only other oppressor.

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Reviews always appreciated.


	5. Chapter Five

Under the Ruby Trees

By Shimya

Inspired by _The Labyrinth_, which is copyrighted, and not by me!

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Chapter Five

_Drip, drip, drip…_

Warm blood continued to trickle down the spine of the dead woman hanging from the ceiling of an elaborate golden washroom. In the tub below lay the infamous Morrigan, basking in the sweet nectar of eternal life and youth, surrounded by her handmaids. And of course, all with a smile on her face. Yes, indeed the Queen was, to say the least, enjoying her new rise. Her title was quickly morphing into that of a murderous butcher of a queen. It did not insult her. In fact, she felt free.

For years, the council had kept ties on all of her mischief, never allowing her to truly rule her kingdom the way she wanted. For years, they told her what she could and could not do. News of her disloyalty would only continue to spread, and she did not care. She was sick of them all. They were nothing but weak creatures. They refused her ways from the beginning; from the moment she set foot in the courtroom for her inauguration- they saw her as a monster. Vampyres were not welcome in any of the other territories. Perhaps it was because of their insatiable need for blood. Or perhaps it was because they knew that just one of her kind could take on their entire army in a matter of days.

Once was all it took- slip one in and soon enough, there will be two. Then four. Then eight. It would only double until the entire race was wiped clean. All she needed were humans. They were the only creatures that could sustain the gene. They were the key to their own demise.

Morrigan laughed out loud as her handmaids stroked her naked shoulders, dousing her with blood. They wanted a monster. So a monster they would have.

"Jareth." She whispered. "Jareth, come here, pet. I need you."

She stood, the red liquid practically melting off her pale pastel colored flesh until there was no trace of it left, her pores sucking in the life source in a matter of seconds. A handmaid helped her into a silk robe. "Jareth…come to me." His reaction time was a pity.

By the golden tub, a large mirror lined the wall. Morrigan looked at herself for a moment as her maids pined up her long, yellow hair. Oh yes, vanity was the mother of all sins. And Morrigan was a vain queen. She looked to one of the girls and examined her looks. "Am I beautiful?"

The young Vampyre maid only smiled and nodded, "Of course, your majesty. You are the most beautiful of our kind. No one can ever match your beauty."

"Now, now, don't give her a big head." Jareth complained, appearing behind them. His eyes immediately went to the dead human woman hanging above the blood filled bath. "You are getting a little too ahead of yourself, Morrigan." He was more surprised than anything. He looked at the body with wide eyes. Was she truly resulting to this? "I could understand your lust for power, but a lust for slaughter? Why would you do this to anyone?"

"She denied me." She stated simply, meeting his eyes in the mirror. "And those that deny me will suffer the consequences." A smile graced her lips and she turned to him. "Tell me, Jareth, do you deny me?"

He glared at her. "In every way, your highness. You may have control over the petty fools that call themselves Vampyre, but you only have as much control over me as I give you. I will not bow."

She nodded. "Fair enough, dear Fae. Good thing I don't want you to bow." She waved her maids away, and they quickly left the room to give the two of them privacy.

Jareth studied her with interest. "What are you getting at?"

Morrigan slipped out of her robe, letting the silk fall to the floor at her feet. She made her way closer toward him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, pressing her naked body against him. He did nothing but keep his gaze locked with hers. "I want you to rule by my side, Jareth. Once I have won, I want you to be King of the entire Underground."

Her crimson eyes seemed to dance with excitement. The Goblin King's brow creased in disgust. "You want me to rule with you? Over what? A kingdom of death? You're insane, Morrigan."

She made a sullen face. "Oh, why can't you see what I'm offering you? When I win, and I will win, you will have no place. Most of your race will be wiped out, the survivors in slavery. The Goblin Kingdom will not exist."

"And the Labyrinth? Surely you can't expect to destroy the heart of the Underground. I am its keeper, Morrigan. And as long as I am alive, I will forever be its servant."

Her innocent, gloomy façade quickly morphed into one of loathing. "The Labyrinth will be the first thing to go. You say it's the heart of this world? Ha! A myth. All that dreadful place has ever done is keep me from my prize! And do not forget, Jareth, all it's ever done for you is put you in the position you are in now…."

Jareth said nothing in response. In a way, she was right. Sarah had beaten the unbeatable maze. But not alone- the Labyrinth let her beat it. It wanted her to win. How else could she have gotten through? If it weren't for Sarah and the Labyrinth, he would not be standing here with the evil queen wrapped around him. He would not have to abide by her wishes in favor of her saving him from the banishment he would have surely endured. Other than throwing tantrums, it was another thing Sarah was amazingly great at doing; putting him into dreadful situations.

Morrigan noticed his silence, and smiled a toothy grin. "Tell me- do you really want to be a servant to a power that allowed a lowly human girl to humiliate you? She's still beating you, you know. Even to this day. Answering my every call is just a reminder that she is still winning." She chuckled and let him go, turning back to the mirror to gaze upon her naked body. "Oh, I wish I could see the wench now- she's probably laughing at you."

Jareth swallowed a lump in his throat. He did not enjoy being taunted and Morrigan was making him angry. Such comments poisoned his mind. He hated remembering such things. He didn't want to be reminded of what Sarah had done. It made him want to curse himself for not turning her into a goblin. It made him want to get her back for all the shame his people made him feel. It made him want to hate her. It made him want to…hurt her.

And it was then that he promised himself that he would. He would hurt her.

"If all you wanted to do was taunt me, Morrigan, you should have just done so while I was in the comfort of my own castle." He turned his heel, about to leave. "Wait!" she hissed, making him stop in his tracks.

"What of the counsel?" she asked, never tearing her eyes away from her own reflection in the mirror.

"They suspect but are not sure. I'm positive it'll only be a day or two before they begin to understand." He scoffed. "I guess you need to try a little harder."

And then he was gone.

Morrigan took in a slow breath and glared daggers at the space where Jareth once stood. He had denied her. She hated it when people denied her. Despite their agreement, she would turn on him. If he didn't want to rule with her, then he would bow as a corpse before her. She just needed to be patient.

The elder members of the Vampyre faction of the counsel were daft. She knew they would not accept the accusations that the others would force upon her right away. However, even though they were Vampyre, they were followers of the old ways- they, just as the other races of the Underground, were not fond of her. They were just as bad, always reminding her of their rules and regulations. Soon, she would kill them- they would be of no use to her- only a hindrance to her future plans.

Except Orin, of course. He would prove to be useful. The man had always wanted a place in Morrigan's life- from the time they met; she could tell he lusted for her. Perhaps she would be able to use him to her advantage.

Morrigan called for her maids, who entered the room with another human maiden. She struggled and screamed as they dragged her through the door, begging for them to let her go. They forced her to her knees before the Queen. One of her servants handed her a meter long, needle-like blade and she pressed it to the young woman's chest. "Tell me, darling. Why do you decline your loyalty me? Do you not wish to live forever in a kingdom of glory, among others such as you? Why do you refuse to accept happiness into your pathetic life?"

"Please, I just want to go home! I want to go back to my family!"

"Wrong answer…" She sighed.

* * *

Sarah yelled in pain as the whip went across her naked back for a third time. The goblin Ursula let out yet another cackle. "That'll teach ye to kick me again!"

"Damn it! Just stop!" Sarah pressed her forehead against the stone wall that she was bound to, unable to do anything else. When Jareth had ordered a punishment, she did not expect something as drastic as a lashing, which caused a lot more pain than the movies actually let on. She could feel the three places where her skin was torn open as blood dripped onto her dress.

She heard the door creek open behind her and the Goblin stopped her evil cackling. Footsteps echoed through the small room. "Leave us." She heard Jareth say, and then Ursula shuffled off and the door once again closed.

"I told you to behave yourself…" He mumbled, observing her newly acquired wounds. "It's a pity you've scarred your beautiful skin all for nothing."

"Me? You're the one doing this. You're the one torturing me!" Sarah whined, the pain never ceasing to stop its stinging.

He walked closer to her, removing his gloves. A small bowl of water and bandages rested on a near table. "I told you- escaping me is not possible. You were the one who decided to test my words. You brought this upon yourself…" He prepared a bandage for her and dabbed her bare skin, just a little. Her back tensed and she let out a cry.

"If you don't relax, you'll just make the pain worse." He sighed, dabbing the blood away. She relaxed, but only a little. "I still don't know what you want from me…" She whispered, her voice sounding so antagonizingly pathetic to him.

"It was not I that wished you here, Sarah." Jareth drew in closer to her, his hands continuing to wander around her back as he dressed her injuries. "I only wish to serve you…." He whispered, resisting the urge to caress her naked skin.

Sarah closed her eyes. Why did he continue to play his games? She hated this. She hated everything about this. He said he was serving her wishes? All she wanted to do was go home. But it was obvious- Jareth was not going to allow her the passage she needed back to the Aboveground. So, what was she to do?

"If you wish to serve me, then release me. If I can't go home, then let me find a home here, in the Underground…"

If he was not going to help her, she would find someone else who would.

Jareth smiled as he finished cleaning her back. "Do you honestly believe you would fair in the Underground all alone? You truly have no idea what this world is like Sarah. If I were to let a domestic animal out of its hovel and into the wild, it would die in a matter of days without its spoiled care. You are no different."

She growled in frustration. He always made her feel so powerless. He always made her feel such like a child! "Then let me die damn it!" The chains that bound her to the wall jingled as she tried to pull away from them. She struggled between him and the wall as he held his ground, grabbing her arms and using force to calm her down. When she finally stopped, she whimpered and finally started to cry.

"Now, now- that would be too easy, Sarah." Jareth pulled away from her and removed her bindings, letting her fall to the floor. She just sat there for a moment covering her bare breasts in silence as the he pulled his gloves back on.

"You want to grant my wishes? Everything I ask for, you refuse. Everything I want, you reject. Why can't I just have one little thing? Why can't you allow me one, simple, little thing?" She cried, her voice trembling.

Jareth scowled at her. "It's aggravating, isn't it? To be helpless to do anything as the things you want pass you by and disappear. I know how you feel and I know that it isn't in the least bit pleasant. It's hard having no power, isn't it?"

Sarah looked up at him, her eyebrows furrowed in frustration. "Is that what all this is about? Are you trying to take revenge on me? For beating your stupid Labyrinth?"

"This is not about a game Sarah. It's about your seemingly insatiable need to destroy everything I work for. You always need your spoiled little way. You probably did the same thing to that husband of yours; no wonder he ran away to another woman. I'm sure your little attitudes got you into the entire situation…"

That hit a nerve. Sarah's sadness morphed into anger once again and she turned to him with tears in her eyes, giving him the coldest glare she could muster. "My husband left me because I couldn't give him children." She said through her clenched teeth, "My husband left because you took my dreams from me, you took my ability to bear children when I left this place. Even after I escaped you, you still continued to ruin my life in my world."

Jareth just looked down at her fallen form with a stoic stare. He was surprised by her outburst but didn't give her the impression that her words had truly disturbed him. He knew that when she denied his proposal to stay in the Underground her childhood would stay with him instead. Her innocence and dreamy happiness would never be allowed to return with her to the place that smashed them with reality. However, he had no idea that the Labyrinth also stole her deep seeded wishes from her; she would never be allowed to bear children because it would bring to her that childlike fantasy that the Underground had taken long ago. At that moment, he felt somewhat guilty…

But did that mean he would allow her to think that she had won any rights in his domain? Of course not. Jareth quickly composed himself and smiled in response to her comment. He loved her or at least, he loved what she represented, but she would not get away with ruining him. He would have his revenge on her. He would hurt her. So, he smiled and she fell apart at seeing his face. Her anger dissipated into a deeper sadness at the reminding of her empty womb and the fact that he was amused by it sent her deeper into despair.

"Perhaps then, you should have stayed, hm?" He chuckled as he left the room, leaving her there to cry in peace.

* * *

Morrigan let out a sigh of contentment as Orin rolled off of her and to the other side of her bed. "Now, now, I never knew you had that in you." She smiled deviously as she wiped the blood from her mouth. She wriggled around for a moment before getting cramped between Orin and the dead body of a naked girl beside her. Letting out another sigh, she pushed the body from the bed and rested her blond head on Orin's hard chest.

"This is the best arrangement I've ever made…" The young council member said, looking at his prize. "I cannot wait to become King…"

Morrigan resisted the urge to laugh at him. Oh, she was a deceitful woman and she relished in the thought of all the dirty little secrets she was keeping. When he had come to investigate the mass murder of the 500 human party guests for the Council, it didn't take much for her to convince him over to her side. With the promise of him becoming her king, he proved to be an easy figure to manipulate. However handsome and powerful Orin seemed, he certainly wasn't very smart. She would kill him once she was through but for now, she would play this game.

"For a while, I thought your interests lay with that Fae, Jareth…" He scoffed.

Morrigan looked at him with curiosity. "Why on earth would you think that?"

"I see him sometimes, as an owl, lurking around this castle. I thought for a time that the two of you were having some kind of secret affair…"

She laughed, playing it off easily. "That Fae is of no interest to me. He and I speak of only politics… You are so much better than he is…"

This raised his ego and he smiled a sharp toothed grin. "I suppose the only women he can get into his bed are human girls."

Morrigan's eyes squinted in confusion as she hid her jealousy. "Human women? What do you mean?"

"At the meeting in his castle, I discovered a human servant. I thought it odd that him, a person who has always rejected the idea had one, and only one. That was odd as well. Usually, it is best to have more than one, but only one? What else could she possibly be good for?"

"Interesting…" She thought out loud, rejecting the idea that such a human was his bed whore. No, Jareth was classier than that. Why would he keep a human girl in his home?

"So, what are we going to report to the council? Would you like me to lie to them?" He asked, making her push the idea to the side for now.

She thought for a moment. "No… I want you to tell them the truth."

He looked at her in surprise, his red eyes meeting her amused gaze. "What?"

She smiled, "I'm going to make a little trip into the Labyrinth the day of the meeting. I want to pop in on my little trial that they're hosting."

"They will form an attack on you. You realize that? I'd be surprised if they didn't kill you right there in the meeting room."

"Ha!" She scoffed. "They will not dare to strike against me. And when the time comes for the war, they will fail. Once the peak of their armies have walked into their own death, my army will take their homelands."

He laughed at her, no doubt thinking she was a stupid woman. "You do not have the numbers for one such attack, dear queen."

"You underestimate my power; a reason why the council is going to fail. Do not underestimate me, bad things will happen…" She tsked, shaking her long, clawed finger to him playfully.

"You only have roughly two thousand soldiers at your hand. That will not even be enough to fend off the armies they send, let alone sending your own into the homelands."

"You speak as though I've only been planning this for a short while…" She stood from her bed, wrapping herself in her robes, stepping over the dead body on the floor.

"Haven't you? The only assault on the humans that we know of is the Ball. Have you been involved in more?" He sat up, intrigued as he watched her dress.

"Follow me, my pet. I'll show you exactly where all my pledges are placed…"

When they dressed, she led him through her castle, down into the deeps of her dungeons and torture rooms. Entering through a door that led to a balcony overlooking all of the underground prisons, she stood with him. For years, she had secretly expanded her dungeons, making them so large that they could hold the entire country's army; which is exactly what it was used for. Orin stood in awe as he looked across the seemingly never-ending abyss of stone cells that held countless Vampyre.

But these Vampyre were not normal. They were chained to their posts, their minds clouded with insanity. They all attempted to nip at each other, starving and thirsting for blood. She was letting them starve until the day the armies of the other nations were at her front door. Then, she would let them flood into freedom until they devoured everything…and everyone.

"It will be a massacre…." Orin said as he watched the fiends.

Morrigan felt pleasure from his reaction. Not even Jareth knew of all the wondrous creatures that awaited the armies. He would be so surprised when hears of a wave of man-hungry monsters pouring into each country, spreading like a wildfire.

The last piece of her plan would be implemented as soon as she could move another batch into the Labyrinth. When they all run to the ruins of the Underground for the protection of their nonexistent Gods and pitiful old magic, the Vampyre will be there to eat them all from the inside. All she needed was Jareth's cooperation… or perhaps not.

Jareth had made an unbreakable bond at the time of their agreement. When his game was beaten by the human girl from the Aboveground, he lost his right to be Goblin King, keeper of the Labyrinth, center of everything magical in the Underground. He had failed in his responsibility, and let a human from the other world know of the Underground's existence. The council might have banished him from the Underground entirely, making him spend his days as a silly owl in the other world until he shriveled up and died in his shame. At the very least, they would have stripped him of his magic, the magic that the Labyrinth had given to him as a gift.

But Morrigan stepped in. Yes, the queen saw it as an opportunity. Being prideful, Jareth didn't want to be seen as such a monstrosity to the people. So, she made him promise that she would pull every political string she could in preventing his dethronement. But in return, she'd have rights to do whatever she wanted within the Labyrinth and he would have to assist her in any endeavor she asked of him.

Magic was a tricky thing, not something Morrigan herself ever cared to trifle with since the majority of it was silly, showy glamour. However, one spell in particular was worth enough for Morrigan to learn. An unbreakable promise, the _Dalamiore_. If he failed to complete his end of the bargain, his bones would twist and turn, his insides would be set ablaze and he would be transformed.

Into what was yet to be determined. No one knew what would happen because no one ever survived it to tell. However, the threat alone was enough to whip the King into shape. He wouldn't be able to object much if she slipped a few of her little babies into the Labyrinth without asking.

The anticipation made her shudder. Within a few months, everything would belong to her.

Everything.

* * *

Review!


	6. Chapter Six

Under the Ruby Trees

By Shimya

Inspired by _The Labyrinth_, which is copyrighted, and not by me!

* * *

Chapter Six

_But what no one knew was that the Goblin King fell in love with the girl…_

Jareth looked out across the vast Labyrinth that surrounded the Goblin City and cursed it under his breath. With each passing day, it shown more and more how much the Labyrinth did in fact ruin him. Sarah wasn't the only one to blame; it was the Labyrinth that allowed the events to take place. It was the heart of the Underground, the birthplace of all magic, it decided the fate of all things.

_and gave her certain powers…_

And it **chose** **to let her win. **It gave her the gift of all gifts; it gave her everything. He didn't need to offer it to her, she already had it. He just wanted her to stay, they both did. The Labyrinth wanted her to become one with it, as he himself had once he took his place as Goblin King. He loved her, he wanted her to be his…

But no. She had to leave. She had chosen to give it all away. To give up her chances of being such a perfect Labyrinthine Queen…

And he wondered if now that she was back, if all the power that the Labyrinth would have given her, if all the power he gave to her, would return or not. It perplexed him. If she was to be rewarded with her gifts, how exactly would that change things?

And how in the world was he going to keep her true identity a secret from everyone?

True, having human servants wasn't considered strange, however, everyone knew him to be a person who didn't much play into the idea. He didn't need them, he had goblins. His humans were all turned into nasty little goblins.

He was worried someone would soon question where she came from and he didn't have an answer yet…

With a sigh, Jareth returned to his home in a wave of glitter. His owl form flew high above his castle before he landed in the window of Sarah's bedroom, watching her quietly.

Sarah didn't notice him right away. She was preparing for a bath. Carefully, so as not to harm the stinging wounds on her back, she removed her dress, the cloth peeling off her skin. When it dropped to her knees, she looked at herself in the mirror for a short moment, trying to assess the damage that yesterday's escapades cost her. She was not happy, and truthfully, neither was he. Such scars would never go away but it was a lesson she had to learn: Sarah was still a child, always wanting her way, and she needed to realize her place.

He watched her remove her clothing and when she turned to look at her back in the mirror, he saw her naked body for the first time. She was not at all perfect, not modelesque, but she was gorgeous, as Sarah always had been. He had met her as a girl and now, from this picture, she seemed a woman, her body blossoming into something so…mysterious to him.

Sex had never been an issue for the Goblin King. There were many women, Fae, Faerie, and Elf alike that he had been involved with. It had never been serious because he had never wanted any of them the way he wanted Sarah. It wasn't a sexual need with her, it was more.

But the scene before him did not change his mind about how much he wanted to have her beneath him…if not for his wanting then merely for the domination. It was…arousing to think about. Winning that game would surely upset the girl that claimed over and over again that she hated him. If she really did hate him, he was going to make sure it wasn't just words…

He flew into her bedroom and appeared behind her as himself, startling her enough for her to quickly hide her bare breasts with her arms. "What are you doing in here?"

"As far as I know, this is my home." He looked at her intently, every curve of her figure, the smoothness of her skin…

"That doesn't give you the right to come in here without permission." She was flustered, not exactly sure what to say. It was strange to her to see Jareth before her while she was naked. She never imagined something like this would happen. Unless it was because…

"Get out." She said, suddenly more composed. "I'm not playing your game."

He smiled knowingly. _What a smart little girl._ "I have no idea what you're talking about." He stated, taking off his gloves.

"How you're looking at me says otherwise." She spat, quickly reaching for a sheet from her bed for cover but his hand pushed hers away. He took her hands and wrapped his fingers between hers, not allowing her what little privacy she had left.

"S-stop.."

"Tell me Sarah…" He cooed, gently pushing her against a stone wall, "How long has it been since a man has touched you…"

Her eyes were wide, mirroring her surprise. She was married for five years…for four years she tried to have a baby and failed. James stopped trying in their fifth year as they explored more options. But every time she wanted him just to have him, he shooed her away, saying that it was pointless….pointless to make love to his own wife...

She said nothing but it didn't matter. Jareth knew by the pained look in her eyes that it had been a long time since any man had indulged in her. His lips went to her neck, so softly that she could barely feel his kisses. What was happening?

What was happening?

Sarah shook her head, as if she was trying to wake up from a dream. "What are you doing?"

"Touching you…" He replied lightly, as he moved one of his hands to hold both of her wrists above her head. "Don't you want me to?"

His other hand traveled down the side of her body, as if he was feeling her shape, before he cupped one of her breasts. She let out a startled gasp, "No. Stop."

"You don't really sound too convincing…" He whispered, pushing his body hard against hers as his hand continued to travel down.

It was true, she didn't, she realized. It had been so long since she allowed anyone to give her any kind of attention like this. It wasn't like there were no men that showed her interest, she just always believed her husband would come around. And she was wrong…so it had been well over a couple months since she had been touched. So, of course what Jareth was doing to her was much more than she could stand. She closed her eyes and didn't seem to say much more as his fingers graced her opening, just slightly.

She let out a small, barely audible moan of desperation and Jareth smiled with devious intent as he kissed her neck. She wanted him to touch her in every way possible. She wanted him to put his lips to her breasts, to open her, to be inside her…

And that was when she realized exactly what she was doing. She opened her eyes and struggled against his light hold. "No. I don't want this." She stated. "I don't." She said a second time, as if reassuring herself.

He stopped his movements and looked at her, slightly annoyed by her outburst right before he could really win this game they were playing. "Very well." He said, pulling away from her immediately.

Sarah felt cold, secretly wanting the passionate heat of his body against her. She was slightly surprised. Yes, she had wanted him to stop but she didn't know if he was actually going to. She realized that maybe, she wanted him to keep going against her word…

"I'll leave you to your bath Sarah." He said, as if nothing had ever happened between them at all. He headed for the door.

Sarah wanted to say, "Is that all? That's it? You're just going to leave after touching me like that?" but she stopped herself. If she had said such things, he would think that she wanted him and if he knew that then he'd be winning. She wouldn't give him that pleasure.

So she let him go, to his own surprise, and quickly jumped into her bath, trying to regain her sane composure. She couldn't believe she had just wanted Jareth to take her to bed. The idea was ego bruising. She knew that was his true intention; to show her just how powerless she was against him. There was no way it could be more than that.

_But what no one knew was that the Goblin King fell in love with the girl…_

"Pfft." She scoffed, soaking in the elaborate tub. In love huh? Such is the way of all fictitious stories. There's always someone "in love" with someone else. The writers had it all wrong. It was always a power play, nothing more than that. She would be stupid to believe otherwise.

She took a deep breath and lay in the warm water, imagining what it would have been like if she had let him take her…

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Jareth asked, agitation showing through his voice from his previous encounter with Sarah.

Orin stood before him in his courtroom, goblins sitting the council seats pointing and laughing at the vampire, making silly jokes quietly as Jareth assessed him.

"I wanted to tell you specifically what the Queen has shared with me."

Jareth gave him a stoic look. "Why not tell the entire council during the next meeting?"

"Because they must know now!" He said, looking as though the news was urgent. But Jareth knew better. He knew exactly what was happening and he had trouble acting surprised.

"Very well. What have you learned?"

Orin cleared his throat, as if he was nervous. He played off his involvement well, never giving the Goblin King any hint that he too, was in on Morrigan's plans. They both knew nothing of either one's involvement. And that's exactly how she wanted it.

"Her attack on the humans at her ball was not the first, nor the last attempt at gaining numbers." Orin stated, acting solemn. "She has given more than enough humans the mark…over thousands… The human race in Vibanae is practically extinct unless they are privately owned slaves. "

"I see."

"She will declare war." Orin stated. "She is intent on taking the other lands of the Underground."

"And what of the Labyrinth?" Jareth asked.

"What of it?"

"She has no plans to move any of her fledglings into the middle kingdom?"

"Not that I have gathered." Orin lied, trying to act appalled by the very idea.

Jareth knew her plan involved sending her minions into the Labyrinth but obviously she hadn't let Orin in on that particular fact. Jareth's involvement was hidden from everyone. No one would suspect him as being part of it…yet.

"I will send word to the other kingdoms of what you've learned."

Orin bowed in respect. "Yes."

As Orin left the court, Jareth only sighed. Between this and Sarah, he certainly had his hands full.

* * *

Short chapter, I know, but I hope you liked the scene between Sarah and Jareth! Another great chapter is up next! Reviews appreciated!


	7. Chapter Seven

Under the Ruby Trees

By Shimya

Inspired by _The Labyrinth_, which is copyrighted, and not by me!

* * *

Chapter Seven

It had been three days since Jareth had left her there in her room, wanting him as badly as she hated him. Now, she sat in front of the mirror of her bedroom, staring at her reflection. She was weak and weary, her pride and confidence bruised. She avoided him since their last encounter but he didn't seem to be looking for her anyway.

Ursula, the nasty thing, stood on a stool behind her chair and brushed out her hair, rambling on and on about how obedient Sarah had been the past few days and how she was sure she had learned her lesson with her lashings. Sarah said nothing, didn't even acknowledge her existence; just sat there with a lost stare.

Escape wasn't an option; after that day, she was sure that Jareth really would toss her to a vampire as a little snack if she continued to cause trouble. Not to mention, he might come back to tease her again. She couldn't do anything here except sleep and occasionally wander around the empty castle. Although her curiosity wanted her to explore the place, she feared she'd bump into Jareth or other goblins that threatened to eat her. So, what could she do?

Ursula said something about errands she had to do so when she left the room, and Sarah finally stood from her seat and wandered to the window. As she gazed outside she realized for the first time that the castle had a large garden encasing it, something she must have missed when she first visited. As quietly as she could, she made her way out of her room and, after many wasted minutes trying to figure out the curious case of all the stairs, finally found the front lobby, near the entrance. Goblins were everywhere, pacing around, throwing things at each other, wrecking havoc, as they normally did. However, to Sarah's surprise, they didn't seem to care about her. Instead, they pretended she wasn't there, or used the skirt of her dress as a hiding spot from each other.

She carefully opened the door and was greeted with a refreshing spring-like breeze. Without hesitation, she proceeded into the gardens of the Castle beyond Goblin City.

Unlike the inside of the castle, the gardens were filled with color and life. Flowers that Sarah had never seen graced the small forested orchard behind the castle. Some trees had leaves the color of gold and silver pieces. Some looked like their fruit was made of silk. Everything amazed her and made her feel better about her situation; there was nothing like this at home.

She stood on tip-toe as she pulled a ruby blossom from a flowering tree and touched it with amazement.

"Do you like them?"

Sarah jumped at the sound of an unfamiliar voice and dropped the stone to the ground. Had she been caught? Was she going to be in trouble?

The man behind her looked normal, all except for his pointed ears. He was handsome in his fancy clothing, his brown hair short and nicely trimmed. His face was strong, angled with a sturdy jaw but it was his eyes that made her feel at ease. The color of the grass she was standing on, his eyes were soft and seemingly kind. She did not believe he was here to hurt her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." He chuckled and picked up the ruby blossom she had dropped. "They are rather beautiful."

He played with the blossom in his hand, being very careful not to touch the pointed ends of the red stone petals. "Although they are beautiful, they lie." He said, showing her the flower. "The petals, even though they are stone, can kill even the largest giant with a simple prick. They get their name from that poisonous feature. _Al le noxion amouri. _Noxious Love. There is a legend about them I've heard since I was a child."

Sarah just watched him and he took to her silence. "Would you like to hear it?" He asked, his smile never faltering. She nodded, relaxing in his presence.

"Amouri was the goddess of Love. Every five hundred years, she would take the form of a mortal woman and travel here to the Labyrinth, mending its walls and spreading magic at its base to help it grow. It had been said that the Labyrinth was the birthplace of the Gods and that she chose to keep it alive as the years progressed. Many people across the land knew of her and when the time came, she was visited by hundreds of people. She would bless them and give them luck in love.

"However, Amouri herself was a lonely goddess, forever searching for someone to call her own. One day, a mortal man named Lucan came to see her bearing hundreds of blossoms and begged her to find him a woman that would love him forever. Touched by his passion, she herself fell in love with the man and lived in that love for years.

"But the other Gods were not happy. They knew that if Amouri stayed a mortal woman for too long, she would become one, grow old, and die. But when they came to warn her, she ignored them, refusing the idea of becoming a goddess again for fear she would have to leave her love for Lucan behind.

"The god of Destruction, Aodan, refused to allow Amouri to continue her antics for he secretly wanted her for his own. So, disguising himself as a poor peasant, he traveled to the hunting grounds where Lucan often visited. Using Lucan's kind nature against him, he tricked the man into a spell and changed him into a horrifying black wolf. Aodan then took Lucan's shape and left the wolf there to wallow in his own sorrow.

"Amouri did not realize that when her lover returned, it was not Lucan, but really Aodan deceiving her. In the midst of their love making, Aodan returned to his normal shape and told her that he had killed her husband. Knowing that she would have no choice but to return to the heavens, he basked in his victory.

"The goddess, crushed by her lover's murder and angry at Aodan, thirsted for revenge. She went to the blossom orchards and turned all the flowers to rubies, reflecting how her heart had now been turned to stone. The tears she shed upon her stone flowers were filled with the poison of heartache. Soon, she invited Aodan to her gardens, promising him a secret love affair.

"Excited, the foolish God accepted her invitation and as soon as he stepped foot under the blossom tree, she made the flowers fall upon him, stabbing his flesh and poisoning and killing him with her grief. Amouri soon found out that she took no comfort in her revenge; her love was dead and would never return. Taking a single ruby blossom, she thrust the petals into her heart and died, swearing that she would again be with him in the afterlife.

But Lucan was not dead and from a distance, he watched the scenes unfold, unable to tell his Goddess of his fate. So, Lucan stayed a wolf, keeping watch over the Goddess' most prized possession; the Labyrinth until he died."

Sarah, who had been listening to the story with great interest and anticipation, watched the stranger as he handed her the blossom. "_Al le noxion amouri_." She slowly repeated the name of the flower, in memory of the goddess.

"They say that they only grow here because this is the place where she died…There isn't a flower back in the homeland that can match such a thing." He smiled at her, trying to initiate more conversation. "Only in the Labyrinth."

"They don't grow at all like that back at home either…" she said softly, playing with the blossom in her hands, careful not to pierce her skin.

"And where, might I ask, is that?"

Taking into consideration that Jareth had obviously been publically embarrassed by losing his game to her, she thought it best not to mention the Aboveground. Instead, she was somewhat saved the trouble when the stranger became more eager for other information when she didn't answer him.

"What's your name?"

"…Sarah."

He smiled and she felt completely at ease after seeing it. It was warm, not like Jareth's cold smirk that she had been getting used to.

"Well, Sarah, I'm surprised you live here, in the Goblin King's Castle. To my knowledge, Jareth never cared for human servants."

She kept her eyes on the blossom. "He doesn't care for much of anything…"

"No, I suppose he doesn't." He laughed, offering her his arm, a strange and unfamiliar gesture to Sarah. Was she actually being treated nicely? She hesitated at first, but took his arm and he led them back into the castle.

"How long have you known your master? I don't recall seeing you here before."

This man sure was curious. She didn't want to say anything that might get her into more trouble so she kept quiet for a moment, thinking about how she should answer. "I've just recently been brought here…"

"Surely you must be special if he chose to bring you here. Jareth has never really been interested in humans."

She wanted to laugh right then at the stranger for thinking so foolishly. Jareth wasn't interested in humans? Did he not know what he practically did for a living?

And just as that thought ran across her mind, Jareth appeared before the two of them, not looking the least bit amused. "Hello, Prince Dmitri. We were all getting slightly worried of your absence in the conference; your guards seem to always misplace you."

The Prince of Elves smiled in amusement and grabbed Jareth's shoulder as if they were friends and not merely royal acquaintances. "Ah, they have yet to discover our secret of avoiding them. Since we were children, it has never been easier to elude them."

"You should be more careful these days, old friend. A fiend is amongst us and we are all in the midst of war…Perhaps eluding your guard is not the best thing for you to do." Jareth said his voice caring and actually thoughtful. Sarah was surprised. The two of them must have been, dare she say, friends.

"I see you've met Sarah." Jareth said, looking at her with a hard and stern gaze. "I apologize if she's bothered you with her attitude."

Dmitri laughed, "This damsel? No. In fact, she's been very pleasant company..." He turned to Sarah and kissed her hand gently. "I must bid you farewell, Miss Sarah. It seems the Goblin King is anxious to get to the boring business of royal politics."

Sarah smiled at him as he made his way out of her sight through a set of big doors. Jareth, however, stayed behind for a moment, noticing the flower in her hand. "Planning to kill me?"

Her fluttery mood was ruined as soon as he opened his mouth. She looked at the blossom and then to him, "If only, if only." She responded sarcastically, handing him the ruby. "I think if I did, the Prince wouldn't be too happy with me." She paused for a moment before asking, "Who is he?"

Jareth took the flower and turned it into dust with a couple waves of his gloved hand. "Dmitri, Prince of the Elves here in the Underground. His mother rules as a windowed queen but when the prince has married he will take on the throne."

"He's...nice." She said, looking back at the pair of doors he had just disappeared through. "What's he doing here?"

Feeling just the slightest bit of jealousy, Jareth snapped his fingers and the two of them appeared back in her room. "That is nothing you need to worry your pretty little head with."

Sarah looked around, startled for a moment before glaring at him. "Why must you keep me locked up in here like an animal? I'm not going to run away, just let me out of this damned room." She complained.

"I'm not locking you in a room." He replied, his attention on the clothes in her wardrobe. "These really are awful looking…"

"I don't care what they look like. Are you listening to me?" She continued, "Please, let me do something other than sit here."

Jareth looked at her, a terrible look in his eyes. It was not anger, but rather, looked as if he just had an idea. A bad idea in her case. Sarah silenced immediately. What was going through his head?

"You want to do something more…exciting?" He purred, getting closer to her form. She looked back at him, both confused and a little fearful of what he might be planning.

"Well?" He pressed, impatient.

She faltered at first, but after reassuring herself, _What's the worst he could do now?_, she nodded slowly.

He smiled that same dark smirk she hated and almost immediately regretted her answer. With a wave of glittering dust she found herself in a familiar, and yet, unfamiliar place. Surrounded by stone walls and unseen trickery, Sarah and been taken to the Labyrinth.

He stood there, atop one of the Labyrinth walls, looking down at her with three crystals in his hands. "How's this? Is this more to your liking, little girl?"

"This isn't what I meant!" She yelled at him, anger welling up inside her. "You know damn well I didn't want this!"

"On the contrary, you asked for excitement. What can be better than your good old friend, the Labyrinth?" He smiled, playing with his crystals. "You've beaten it before, Sarah. You could do it again, right?"

He was taunting her and she hated it. "How about a bargain?" She asked, taking him off guard.

He stopped his crystal twirling and looked at her, interested. "Go on."

"If I beat it again, you take me back home…" She stated, placing her hands on her hips, gaining confidence.

"And if you don't?" He asked, never losing his cocky tone.

She was quiet, not knowing for sure exactly what she was willing to give him. She had nothing he wanted…Perhaps her idea was flawed after all…

"I'll tell you what," He jumped down in front of her, putting a crystal up to her face. "If you don't make it to the center in thirteen hours, I get you."

"I'm already here-"

"I get you, Sarah…" The crystal in front of her held the image of the two of them, kissing, wrapped in bed-sheets, being…intimate.

Perhaps it was a show of his dominance. She knew he did not feel affection toward her, obviously. He probably wanted to show her that he was her superior- her master. Such reasons can only explain why he wanted to have sex with her. It was a show of power; and she vowed he would not win.

"Deal." She blurted, sounding slightly unsure. "I accept the challenge."

He too, seemed unsure and a little surprised by her agreement. But, nevertheless, he would win this time. The Labyrinth was different now and she would fail. He would have his revenge on her. She would bow to him and give him everything.

"Very well." A clock appeared as the time set. "You have thirteen hours, Sarah, before you become mine, forever."

And then, he vanished.

* * *

The turn of events had left the Goblin King a little anxious as to what to expect with Sarah and her little Labyrinth bargain. Even though he wished to spy on her, he knew he had other things that needed his attention.

Today was yet another meeting of the council to determine the fate of the Vampyre Queen Morrigan. He knew that the Vampyre council party held the information that would deem her guilty of conspiracy against the Kingdoms of the Underground. He knew that they would prepare to wage war upon the Northern Lands of Vibenae. And he knew that the likelihood of them failing was rising more and more each day.

He did not want to be a part of Morrigan's power hungry plans. He did not want to secretly plot against his own people, his _friend_. He did not want to help her kill everything with a beating heart. But what was he to do? He was indebted to her. He had made a magical vow that could not be broken less he be punished unimaginably….

Even if he were to warn them of their oncoming demise, tell them his position, beg for their understanding, they would kill him along with the Queen. He'd known all this time of her plot. He had let her murder all the humans in that Ballroom. He allowed it go this far without so much as a hint. He would not get out of this without a fight…

As he entered the room that held the senators and members of the council, an uncomfortable and thick tension filled the room immediately and a slight feeling of dread welled up in Jareth's chest as he took his seat. They were completely silent. They probably already knew of what was to come.

"I open this council to discussion…" He ordered, no one rushing to get started.

Orin was the first to speak; the other members of the Vampyre commission dare not. "Queen Morrigan has officially declared war on all other Kingdoms of the Underground. She has made it clear to me that she is not willing to negotiate for anyone's protection. She only offers that if you surrender your kingdom immediately, she promises to place your people into slavery instead of killing them." He spoke with a melancholy tone, although he secretly waited the day he'd get to rule by her side and rightfully take over the Kingdoms as King. "She currently had thousands at her disposal…"

Dmitri stood, speaking for his absent mother. "You can tell your queen that surrender is out of the question. She has no allies; she has already lost. One kingdom against four? She is mad if she believes she will win, Vampyre or not."

Adriel, The Fae King, shook his head in distaste. "Tell her she has sealed her own fate. She will fall." He looked at Jareth, eyes mirroring dominance over his younger counterpart. "The Labyrinth offers us safe haven if her fledglings even begin to pierce through our armies. There is no way it will leave us in peril, isn't that right, Goblin King?"

Jareth nodded nonchalantly. Inside, his mind was troubled with the thought of his unintended treachery against the royals. "The Labyrinth is the heart of this Underground. It will not allow such creatures through its walls. So is the nature of it; it exists to protect those who seek its care. My uses for it are profane in nature but so is the way of the Goblin Kingdom…"

Adriel continued, "The trickery that befools the mortals will not be enacted upon us. We are the magical children of it and so it will be ours to control-," he gave the Goblin King a mocking look, "-_yours_ to control. We trust that such precautions have already been in the working?"

Just then the doors to the room burst open, little Goblins that were waiting outside them running in all directions of the hall, screaming in fear as Morrigan bit into one that she was holding. Quickly, she spat the chunk of Goblin flesh out onto the floor, scowling. "Goblins taste so vile…"

Everyone in the room stood in surprise. Even Orin faked it well. Jareth however, though surprised at her visit, had not doubted the possibility. She was very brash to choose now to show herself. The queen wore a dark robe, covering her perfect porcelain skin, her red eyes scanning the crowd. Smiling, she removed her hood, letting out a chuckle full of devious intent. "Look at all of you. Trying to decide what to _do_ with me." She tossed the Goblin in her hand to the side, the poor thing crawling toward Jareth, taking refuge under his seat.

She walked forward, taking in her time in her strides, he long blond locks that were normally dragging on the floor now braided in a tight bun atop her evil little head. She looked at Jareth and laughed louder, pointing to all of them that lined the circular room. "The time is now to bow to me. All of you. Just give up now, while you're still alive, while your children are still safe in their playrooms, while your people are still enjoying their merry little lives…"

A member of the Vampyre court bared his pointed fangs as he spoke to her. "You are making a big mistake, Morrigan! How dare you insult your kind this way, waging a war upon everyone in the Underground! They will crush you! They will forever relinquish every ounce of respect for our kind! They will kill us all because of you!"

Her smile vanished and turned into a rather eerie frown. She put her face in her hands and let out a loud, fake cry. "Oh! What have I done? What has gotten into me?" She fell to her knees in front of him, giving everyone a good show. "Please, oh please, don't kill my babies! Not all my starving little babies that I'm going to feed you all to!"

He looked at her, unamused and confused. When she stood back up, she let out yet another exaggerated laugh. "Do you really think I will not prevail, oh wise councilman?" She lashed out her hands to his throat as everyone in the room gasped. "If you do not want to be at the top of the food chain, sir, then you will be at the bottom of it." And then she squeezed, snapping his neck in her hands.

Everyone was speechless. She had gone completely mad, it was obvious. Jareth was of mind to end it here and now, tell everyone everything and throw himself at their mercy. Either way, Morrigan was going to get him killed, whether or not it was by her insane hand.

Dmitri removed his sword from its sheath, prepared to battle the tyrant. She looked at him and scoffed, offering him no more than a glance over. "You are all foolish to not accept my humble offer of sovereignty instead of death. What a pathetic group we have here; willing to risk the lives of thousands of innocent people, children even, because you refuse to acknowledge that I am stronger."

"You have no power here!" Jareth finally spoke, trying to keep whatever peace he could in the room. She needed to leave before she tried to murder everyone here.

And it was true. She didn't _really_ have power here. If she wanted to, she could order HIM around. However, it wasn't the time, nor the place. She just glared at him, pursing her lips into a plush pout. "And you, King of Goblins, are of mind to watch your tongue…"

A terrible sound erupted through his head. It was enough to send him falling to the floor, holding his head in pain. She watched, content with the punishment for his outburst. "I can break you, every single one of you, if I wanted…"

Adriel couldn't help notice the spell that came upon Jareth at his outburst. It was curious to him, not to mention suspicious. The Queen was no learner of magic, so why was it he fell in pain?

"Very well!" The Queen let out a sigh that mirrored boredom. "I am off to form an attack upon your little kingdoms. I do hope you all make it into the Labyrinth alright, after all, it would be a shame not to have you royals cleaning my shoes after I've won…"

Orin stood and offered her an arm, twisting some kind of dark magic as they both disappeared into a puff of dark smoke. All that was heard was the echo of Morrigan's ominous laugh.

"This is madness! We must attack at once before she does! We must take down her castle walls and destroy every Vampyre we possibly can!" Dafna, the Faerie Queen, yelled with confidence. "My army can be prepared in two days! It will take no time to make our way to the Northern Lands and destroy anything that tries to leave that border!"

"We must prepare! Gather your warlords and soldiers! The time for battle has come!" Dmitri yelled, raising his sword to the air.

The rest of the Vampyre court were quickly disposed of into imprisonment, for fear another of them might be a traitor like Orin. In the midst of the commotion, Dmitri made his way toward the Goblin King, who had finally gotten up to wipe a drop of blood from his nose.

"You are keeping something from me." He stated, looking at Jareth with caring eyes. "You should know by now that it is impossible to keep secrets from me."

"Indeed, it is rather difficult…" He stated, offering the Prince his full attention.

"Tell me what you know." He demanded.

"I only know of what you do. Nothing more." He lied, offering no solace to his own conscience.

"Then you must have the same feeling that I do, that she has more up her sleeve than what she currently has us to believe…"

"Yes," he nodded, "That is a strong possibility…"

Dmitri sighed, "Mother will not take this well. Her sickness is worse and I find the stress of war may be the end of her."

Jareth put his hand on his colleague's shoulder in reassurance, "You will make a fine replacement in these dark times so that she may rest in order to become better."

"I have no doubts." Dmitri said, glancing out the meeting room doors to still see pesky goblins running from their fear. "I do hope that human, Sarah, did not get caught in the Queen's wake on her entrance…"

Another feeling of dread overcame the Goblin King. Sarah was no longer safe within the Labyrinth. He feared she may be in danger of Morrigan's antics. She was not as foolhardy as to place Vampyre in his Labyrinth without telling him, was she?

But before he could get a chance to check up on her, Adriel prevented him from leaving the room. "Jareth, you have some explaining to do…"

He stopped and looked at the King of Fae in confusion. "What explaining?"

"What was that? That spell that came over you when you ordered her away?"

"I don't know." Again, lying. "She must have learned some sort of magic…"

"Oh really?" He asked, unbelieving. Dmitri looked between the two of them, uncomfortable.

"Perhaps the Queen is trying her hand at magic to distract us from the real issue at hand…" The elf said, not really believing his own words. "Either way, we must focus on preparing our armies for war, not on why the Tyrant Queen has learned parlor trick spells."

"I agree." Jareth said, trying to remove himself from the conversation as quickly as possible. He didn't have time for this.

"Very well." Adriel nodded, still giving Jareth a look of dissatisfaction. "We **will** speak again…"

Jareth nodded and left the room is haste, leaving the council and everyone behind. They would soon leave to prepare for war. In a week's time, the beginning of the end would ensue…But right now, he was focused on Sarah. Safe inside the privacy of his library, Jareth conjured a crystal to show him Sarah's Whereabouts.

And his feeling of dread soon manifested itself into reality.

"What is going on?" Dmitri asked, appalled at the image in the crystal. He had followed his friend without Jareth knowing.

"I need to get to the Labyrinth," He said, not willing to explain anything to the prince now, "before she dies."

* * *

BABABABUM CERTAIN DEATH! Reviews appreciated.


	8. Chapter Eight

Under the Ruby Trees

By Shimya

Inspired by _The Labyrinth_, which is copyrighted, and not by me!

* * *

Chapter Eight

Sarah didn't know how long she had been wandering through the Labyrinth, but she was determined to win the bargain. Besides, she had done it once. She could do it again, right?

Of course, this time, she didn't have her friends there to assist her. She ended up finding the door into the actual Labyrinth without the help of a dwarf, and remembered that walls only looked solid without the help of a worm. But it was still tricky, as if the Labyrinth didn't want her to leave.

She had thought she made a lot of progress but found herself back at the beginning more than twice already! She resisted the urge to yell in frustration. It was childish and she really needed to quit that if she wanted Jareth to be more respectful of her.

But this was ridiculous.

Sarah stood in front of six doors, each one identical, with no talking knockers and no double heads. She had no idea what was behind them and didn't want to chance being taken back to the beginning again.

Eventually, she decided to go for the fifth door, supposing that normal people would choose the first door and since the Labyrinth wanted to trick people, the first door was a terrible choice. So why not the last?

When she turned the knob and entered it, she found herself walking into the same area she had just come from! Again, five doors stood before her and when she turned around, the previous scene was gone!

"No problem. Fine. Have it your way." She took a small pointed rock and carved a big "X" over the sixth door, knowing that it wasn't correct. Then she went through the third.

Again, the same thing happened. This time, the third door she had gone through now had an "O" carved into it. She stared for a moment before letting out a big sigh. "Very funny." She stated, to no one in particular, knowing that whoever, or whatever, was messing with her would not get a rise from her. Not this time.

So, she continued the process. She entered the first to find herself in the same position. So, she "X"ed it and chose the forth to find the forth door on the other side with an "O". So, she went through the second to find the scene unchanged, thus marking the second door with an "X" and entering the last door left unmarked, the fifth door.

And entering that, she found the same scene, the fifth door marked with an "O" and a line drawn across the 3rd, 4th, and 5th ones. She wanted to punch herself for not noticing it before. "Tic tac toe?" She yelled, stupefied. "That's not how you play tic tac toe!"

Sighing, she figured she'd have to pick a door. She chose the middle "O" door, the fourth door, and was grateful to find something different. A hallway. A hallway to where? She didn't know. But hell, it was away from the stone walls of the Labyrinth.

Taking one step through the door, she found herself falling through a trap door….again. The feeling of hands grabbing her everywhere felt familiar and she chose not to be as startled as she was when this had first occurred.

They were the same as before, forming faces to speak to her, all with different voices and accents. It was almost a comfort to know she had a choice to go up or down and this time; she'd definitely choose up.

"So, what do you say? Up or down?"

"Up or down? Up or down?"

"Are we upside down?"

"You're upside down, she's upside right!"

"Upside up?"

"UP OR DOWN?"

"Up! Please, take me back up!" She blurted before they could confuse her any more. They all laughed the same laugh she remembered. Perhaps she was wrong?

"She chose up!"

"She chose up?"

"Up, up, up!"

They thrust her back up the way she came but instead of seeing the same hallway she had just faced, she was in a dark room. An oubliette. A damn oubliette. It was just impossible for her to win, huh?

The room was pitch black, the same way she remembered oubliettes being. Such a feature wasn't comforting, especially when she heard someone sobbing.

From the sound of it, it was a woman, sobbing terribly. Sarah looked around, wishing her eyes would adjust more to the darkness. Had Jareth trapped someone else in here? Was there some other poor girl trapped in the Labyrinth battling for her wished away sibling?

"Hello?" Sarah asked, concerned for the crying girl.

"I'm so thirsty," the stranger sobbed in the darkness, "I'm so hungry…"

"Hang on a second, let me find a light…" Sarah replied, trying to sound comforting. How did Hoggle bring the light in last time?

"I smell you." The girl suddenly became less somber, her tone changing into something that sounded dangerous. "I smell your blood…"

Sarah heard her move, quickly and loudly. She felt afraid, not sure what to think about this trickery. Why would Jareth want to terrorize her this way?

"I'm trying to help you," Sarah pleaded, "Let me help you."

"Good, good." She heard the girl laugh slightly like a lunatic. "Give me your blood. Help me by feeding me…"

Ah ha! Sarah found something! She pushed some sort of stone button and suddenly candles flickered on the walls of the oubliette. However, as soon as she'd done it, she wished she never found the lights. The sight before her was one she'd only think to see in horror movies.

The girl was covered in scratches and gashes, her torn clothes and mouth covered with blood. There was another body in the corner of the room that looked similar except his insides were laying on the floor. The stranger looked at her with devilish red eyes with a smile on her face.

Sarah had to fight the urge to throw up, seeing the scene before her. The girl didn't look like she needed saving and she was pretty sure now that this wasn't a trick to throw her off the right path to beat the Labyrinth. This was simply screwed up.

And she didn't know what to do. She was trapped in an oubliette, stuck until she could find the exit, unable to move as far as she could from this monster. So, when she came at her, bearing fangs, she had no choice but to struggle against her as she was tackled to the ground. Sarah put her arm against the girl's throat to keep her mouth as far away from her own neck as possible as she snapped her jaws, biting.

It was no use. The girl simply bit into Sarah's forearm, piercing her flesh with her razor teeth. She screamed, so loud she thought that her cries can even be heard from the castle. She rolled and pushed with all her strength to get the girl away from her, making a chunk of her flesh rip from her arm when the girl was thrown back.

"Jareth!" She screamed, in both pain and desperation. "Jareth, please!"

But the Goblin King did not appear before her. He did not whisk her away back to the safety of his castle, where she was hidden from monsters. No, she lay there, crying out, holding her bleeding arm, the vampire girl jumping on top of her once again, biting into Sarah's neck.

She thought for sure she was going to die, that her throat was going to be ripped out and that she would be eaten. She had never seen so much blood in all her life. She had never felt so much physical pain, felt so desperate, felt…like she was going to die.

And just before she gave up, she put her hands on the girl's face and wished to whoever was listening, to live. She felt a pinch of pain in her chest, thinking it was all over, before blacking out completely.

* * *

"You are insane." Dmitri stated bluntly, staring at Jareth with a stoic look. He didn't need to give him an explanation of his opinion. His friend knew that he was mad, completely and utterly mad. Why else would he have told him the truth about the human girl that now lie broken and nearly dead in a hospital wing in his own castle?

Jareth sighed at his comment. "I know I should have just turned her into a goblin, like the rules state-"

"No," Dmitri interrupted, "you should have just left her alone. Let her be, safe, in the Aboveground, away from all this insanity. **Your** insanity!"

"I didn't want things to get this out of hand…"

"Out of hand? They're not out of hand. She's pretty much dead. I thought that's what you wanted?" Dmitri said sarcastically, throwing his hands up in the air. "I mean, what else did you think was going to happen? She just doesn't figure out her way through the Labyrinth and you get to keep her locked up away in the tower of your castle for all eternity?"

Jareth said nothing, looking in the direction of the hospital wing of the Elven castle. It had taken a lot of effort to drag himself, Dmitri, and Sarah all the way to the East. His castle didn't have healers or doctors, just idiotic goblins. It was the only place he knew she would be safe, saved, even. He felt tired, too tired to argue anything to his friend, who was very angry with him.

Yes, Jareth told him. Not everything of course, or he'd probably be in a dungeon somewhere with his head on a guillotine. Just about Sarah, who she was, why she was there… And Dmitri knew about Sarah. Not as an individual person, but as "the human who beat the Labyrinth". He knew that Jareth wanted to get revenge on her for her beating him, just never thought something like that would actually happen!

"I promise, I didn't mean for her to nearly be killed." He said, the mere of idea of her dying making his chest hurt. "It was just a bargain."

"I don't doubt it. I'm sure she's a feisty little thing, probably talked you into it? It doesn't matter. The fact that she's even in the Underground puts you in a strange position." Dmitri said, pacing in his study with his hand to his chin in thought. "If Adriel knew of this, hell, if anyone else knew of this, they'd torment her, turn her into a toad, or worse, put her on display in her own coffin!"

Such ideas did not amuse Jareth. He knew that if people knew of her existence here, she would be abused. They wouldn't kill her, for they had no reason to. It was not a crime to beat his game. In all fact, since she beat him, she was inclined to marry him, or even **replace** him.

But the idea that she was a human was what the problem was. They would never want her in such a position of power. Even in the Elven Kingdom, a human was never going to be a candidate for King or Queen. It just wasn't accepted.

"Not to mention," the prince continued, "what she did to that vampyre attacking her."

Jareth was about to open his mouth to say something but was cut off, "And that's not even the worst of it." Dmitri continued. "There are vampyres in the Labyrinth. How the hell did she get that past you?"

"I honestly do not know." He lied, making himself feel even more guilty. In just a matter of hours, his façade was quickly melting away. How could he have let things get this out of control?

"If Morrigan knew what she could do, she would personally go out of her way to kill her."

Jareth nodded. "Yes," he realized, "she would…" He paused for a moment before asking, "where is she? That girl?"

"In a prison cell over in the western corridor. She's panicked, scared, confused. She keeps asking if Sarah is okay. I don't know what to do with her honestly, it's as if she's a totally different person form the girl that attacked her."

"She is." Jareth said, amazed by what he himself was saying. "She's not vampyre. The Mark of Blood is even missing from her wrists. She seems completely human now."

"That's impossible." Dmitri said.

Again, Jareth opened his mouth to comment but to his annoyance was cut off. "Nevermind, don't tell me. I already know. The Labyrinth. Of course. How else? She beat it, she's got magic." He said, brushing it off as if it was a minor detail.

"The point is, you need to take control of this situation and fast. A war is beginning and the nobles don't need this on their plates, it would only make matters worse."

"That's why you're not going to say anything about it." Jareth said calmly, knowing exactly what to do now.

"But what about the enemy in the Labyrinth? The Nobles have to know that they no longer have an escape route in case something happens."

"If you tell them that, they may suspect me of being involved in Morrigan's plot." He snapped, refusing to lose his argument. The prince thought for a moment and nodded in defeat. "Alright," he said, "fair enough. Deal with the problem in secret to avoid that possibly nasty confrontation…"

"I will start the process immediately." He sighed, placing his fingers to his aching temples.

"And what of lady Sarah?" Dmitri asked.

"As soon as your doctors have assured me she's not going to die, I'll take her back home."

"To the Aboveground, where she belongs?"

Jareth said nothing for a moment before agreeing. "Yes. It is the safest place for her…"

Dmitri seemed content by that answer. "Alright. Let's go check in on our darling little would-be Labyrinthine Queen, then, shall we?"

* * *

Sarah opened her eyes to see a blurry picture of an old man hovering above her. She moved to sit up but was immediately pushed back down. "No, no. Rest."

"What's happened…?"

"You were attacked." The old man said with a somber tone. "By vampyre. She practically tore you apart."

"I'm not dead…"

He smiled at her, his wrinkles creasing into familiar lines. "No. Thanks to the Goblin King, you are safe here."

_Thanks to the Goblin King._ So, he did come. He did hear her crying his name. She felt as though she wanted to hug him and thank him for being alive. She felt her eyes sting a little from tears that began to build up. Tears of happiness. She was alive.

But she almost wanted to be dead after going against the old man's wishes and sitting up. Her arm was heavily bandaged as well as her neck. She felt scratches on her face and legs, as if she had been mauled by a tiger. It all hurt, no matter what position she wriggled into. "Where is he?"

"Close." Jareth interjected, entering the room with Dmitri following close behind.

"Ah, majesty." The doctor approached him. "She seems to be in good condition. Though, her wounds will not heal that quickly unless the _Lifellete _herd is used on her skin. I believe it will do her well. The scars won't even be that predominant."

"Thank you doctor." Jareth dismissed him from the room and took a seat on the bed next to Sarah.

"We have some questions for you, Sarah."

"Questions?" She looked between the two men. "What questions?"

"Do you remember what happened in the oubliette?" Dmitri pressed, curious to know more about her abilities.

"When I was pushed in, I heard a girl crying, practically delirious. I said I would help her after I found the lights but when I did, she attacked me." She paused, reliving the memory. "She bit into me, like an animal. I thought I was going to die…"

"And do you remember why you didn't die?"

Her face scrunched up in confusion. "Because Jareth came to save me?"

"No. By the time we got there, it would have been too late. The girl was no longer mauling you when we arrived, she was trying to stop your bleeding."

"What?"

"What did you do to her?" Dmitri asked.

"I…I don't know."

Jareth interrupted, "What's the last thing you remember thinking?"

"I…." She paused in thought for a moment. "I wished that I would live…I wished for life."

"Wished for life…" Dmitri repeated, amazed. "Well, Jareth, it seems she's outdone even you in the magic field."

"What are you guys talking about? I don't understand. What is it that I did?" Sarah asked, annoyed at this interrogation. She never seemed to get answers from anyone these days.

"The woman who attacked you, she was vampyre. Once a person has become an undead, it is impossible to reverse the process…Well, until now, apparently." Jareth explained, amazed at what he was even saying. "The Labyrinth has given you…something very special Sarah."

To everyone's surprise, she laughed. It wasn't bitter or joyous, but rather an exaggerated disbelieving laugh. The two men looked at each other, not as amused, but Sarah was indeed getting a crack out of what they had just said.

When she noticed their serious expressions, she laughed harder, pointing at them. "You guys are good! Wow, I mean, wow!" Her laughing never subsided. "This is ridiculous! You really think I'd believe that?"

But when they didn't budge, she second guessed herself. When she stopped laughing and cleared her throat, the room suddenly felt very tense.

"Okay. So, I'm magical then."

"You've certainly got a gift." Dmitri said, his arms crossed. "One that will unfortunately go to waste."

"What do you mean?"

Jareth sighed, uncomfortable. "I'm taking you home."

The joy in her eyes at his words slightly pained him. "Really? You're taking me back?"

"Yes. It has proven to be too dangerous here for you."

"When do we leave?" She asked, excited, her 'gift' not peaking any interest in her at all.

"We will leave here in the morning. After I've made sure your wounds are well cared for, I'll return you to the park."

"It's about time." She scoffed, looking at Dmirti. "I suppose you're the one that talked him into this?"

He nodded, preparing to leave the room. "Until then, you must stay here and rest."

"Wait," Sarah stopped them from leaving. "Where is the girl, the one that attacked me...?"

"She's in the prison cells. Why?"

"Can I…see her?"

"Why would you want to see her?"

"Because, I want to see if what you said is true. I want to know if she's really…changed…" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

* * *

Review. Please. :o


	9. Chapter Nine

Under the Ruby Trees

By Shimya

Inspired by _The Labyrinth_, which is copyrighted, and not by me!

* * *

Chapter Nine

When Sarah heard that the girl was in the dungeons, she immediately thought to all those movies that take place in ye' olden days that showed dungeons as grotesque bloody stone cells with rusty bars and tetanus covered nails sticking from the walls. However, the people of the Elven kingdom proved to be more 'classy' than that of the average dungeon keepers. The walls were stone, of course, but nothing like the vision she imagined. It was clean, there were several tiny windows that shown light in all over and the bars looked almost like clean cut iron pieces fresh out of the oven. They didn't open with keys but with combinations, machinery making its way into the Underground.

As the three of them walked the wide halls, Sarah saw a few other prisoners that didn't seem to be that threatening. They were mostly men, some human, some elfish, dressed in the same outfits made for prisoners. One woman in particular though, caught Sarah's attention as they passed her cell.

"Wait!" She said, her hand lashing out through the bars right in front of Sarah. This woman, whoever she was, was different from the rest. She wasn't wearing the uniform but a robe, covering her face and eyes. Her skin was a beautiful caramel color, long black hair trailed out from under her hood in several thick braids.

"Elaina, please, not now." Dmitri said, gently pushing her hand away from Sarah's startled face.

"But you must listen…" She whispered harshly. "Whoever is with you has a troubled future…"

"A troubled future?" Sarah repeated, looking at the woman carefully. "What, are you a fortune teller or something?"

A small smile played on her pink lips. "A fortune teller cannot see what I see, Sarah."

"How do you know my-?"

"Don't encourage her antics, Sarah." Dmitri snapped, pushing Sarah forward without explanation. "She is forbidden to speak of her…'visions'. That's what got her here in the first place."

Jareth gave Elaina a curious look as he passed her cell, the woman never losing her smile as they continued down the corridor. "She was arrested for the bewitching of the Queen." Jareth explained as they walked, making a slightly pained look come over Dmitri's face.

"She bewitched your mother?" She asked the prince curiously, a hint of sympathy in her voice.

"No, but they want to put the blame on someone for her sickness. Elaina is a local oracle who has been called upon many times to help the royals of this area know the outcomes of certain political decisions. When my mother called upon her services, instead of answering my mother's political questions, she diverted away from the topic and told her that she was going to die from a rare sickness that would cause our land to go into utter turmoil at a time of chaos…" He paused, taking the time to let a troubled sigh escape him.

"When her predictions proved to be true, some of my family had Elaina arrested, stating that it wasn't a prediction but a curse due to Elaina's hatred for my mother…."

"Hatred? Why would she hate her?" Sarah pressed, curious of the details.

"Because shortly after my father's death, there were rumors that Elaina was having an illicit affair with him. The rumors turned into crazed gossip that everyone assumed to be true, thus giving Elaina an alibi for my mother's soon to be 'murder'…" His tone was rough, his temper seeming to rise at the talk of such things.

"You don't think that's the truth." Sarah stated.

He turned his head to look at her, his eyes mirroring pity for the oracle. "No, I don't. When the sickness came over my mother I begged Elaina to leave because I knew she would be blamed but she refused. You see, although Elaina is a mere oracle, she grew up with my mother and in childhood, they were very close. I would never believe she would have an affair with my father, let alone curse my mother into death. She wanted to stay with her, to be there for her at her time of need but of course, my suspicions proved to be true and my uncle soon had her arrested. There is a possibility that she will be executed now…"

"There's nothing you can do?" Sarah asked, feeling pity herself for Elaina. It seemed that the same kind of injustice and corruption that existed in the Aboveground also existed in the Land of Dreams.

"A pardon for her accusation can only be given by the King or Queen and my mother is too sick to hold court over the matter even though she has tried countless times to." He paused, finally stopping before a cell that had a girl curled up in the corner of the small area, her knees to her chest, head buried in her hands. "Keep that in mind as you talk to this one." He said solemnly, knocking on the bars to get the girl's attention.

And that's really what she was; a girl. She was no older than a teenager, her now green eyes bloodshot and cheeks puffy and red from crying, her short black hair messy and matted. When seeing Sarah, she immediately stood and came to the bars. "Oh, you're alive!" She exclaimed in relief. "I've been praying for you all day…"

"You…you remember attacking me?" Sarah asked, visions of this same girl covered in blood with murder in her once red irises flashing across Sarah's memory.

"I do, Miss and I know I must be executed for my crimes but please know it was not I that wished to harm you…" She explained, her eyes beginning to tear up again. "It was so difficult to hold the monster inside me back. I tried! Please believe me that I tried! But I could smell your blood; hear it pumping through your body! The witch had left us to starve so that we wouldn't be able to hold back from killing people!"

She pressed her small face against the bars, not taking her teary eyes off Sarah. "Please miss, I must have your forgiveness before I meet the blade…"

A wave of sympathy and anger came over Sarah then. This girl before her didn't deserve to die. Yes, she had attacked her, practically ripped her throat out but…she was a child. Sarah could see herself in the young girl in front of her; torn away from home and changed into something….different…

"I forgive you." Sarah said, touching the girl's hand that was clutched around the iron bars. "And you won't die on my account." She said softly, the girl closing her eyes in relief.

Jareth cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Sarah…" he warned, Dmitri looking at her with grief on his face. "Dmitri cannot grant this girl sanctuary. She has committed a crime. Whether or not you forgive her, it does not mean the laws of this land can."

"The crime didn't happen in 'this land'." Sarah snapped at him, a fierce determination in her eyes. "It happened in the Labyrinth- your lands. She's your prisoner."

"Then I'll just take her to the castle and turn her into a little goblin." He snapped back, refusing to let her show him up.

"Sarah does have a point, Jareth. You could take her back and have a trial in your court." Dmirti interjected.

"I am the only court member in my court-"

"Then you can pardon her and deem me her guardian." Sarah said, her mood improving. "Then you won't have to worry about having to watch over another woman. I'll take care of her."

Jareth laughed then. It was a laugh unfamiliar to Sarah, not full of malice or devious intent but it was actually joyous, full of teasing amusement. "You can barely take care of yourself let alone a child!"

"I'm not a child, your grace." The girl interrupted quietly, making everyone's eyes go to her. "I am Marielle Tolin, a woman of fourteen, perfectly capable of watching over myself. And I do not want to go with you. I will accept my fate here."

"No you won't." Sarah said, shushing the girl. "You're coming with us."

"Sarah," Jareth was still laughing, "you are leaving soon. You cannot take responsibility for her if you are going home."

Oh. She forgot about that. Suddenly her gut twisted up and gave birth to unknown feelings. She thought for a moment of going home. She had wanted to be taken back since the moment she came to the Underground but now that she stopped to think about it….

What was waiting for her in the Land of Reality? She had divorce papers to sign, an apartment and a new job to look for in an old run down town, an old wedding ring sitting on a table that would never be worn again, and….an empty womb that would always leave her lonely….

Sarah looked at Marielle Tolin, the girl behind the bars, the girl that had attacked her, the girl that she had saved…She had taken away the monster that she had claimed was inside of her. She had given her new life, somehow, with the powers of the Labyrinth that Jareth had yet explained to her. She had dreams here, a fresh start…

Sarah looked at Jareth, a look that he couldn't really pinpoint showing through her eyes. His chuckling ceased and for a moment, his heart leapt at the thought that she may have been reconsidering her decisions to go back to the Aboveground.

"Just arrange for her to be taken to the castle," she said her tone quiet and gentle, "I'll take care of everything else…"

"We shall go to the courts now to get this settled then." Dmitri said, beginning to lead them out. Sarah stayed a little behind as the two men began walking off through the corridor, Jareth's eyes still watching her until he was pulled away with comments made by his colleague.

"I will get you out of here." Sarah said with a small sad smile, "And maybe I can even help you get back to your parents."

Marielle shook her head, the sadness in her tone deepening. "If you save me yet again from a twisted fate, miss, you will be the only family I have in this world."

"Then so be it." She said, nodding at her approval. "I'll see you soon."

With that Sarah headed down the corridor to catch up but of course, Elaina stopped her yet again with an arm outreached through her bars. "Miss Sarah…"

Sarah didn't say anything just gave the woman a curious glance as Elaina removed her hood to reveal her young looking face. However, her eyes were that of a cat's, her black pupil elongated vertically across a bright white iris.

"Do you want to know what I see in your future, girl?"

Mesmerized by the mysterious beauty of her face, Sarah only nodded, truly curious of what this woman claimed to know about her fate.

"You will be murdered." She said, her tone serious and unforgiving. "The Black Queen will learn of you and destroy you. She will use everything she has available to her to find you and when she does she will rip your heart from your chest and make the Goblin King watch is despair as she rips your body into pieces before him."

"How could you say something like that-?"

"It has been seen, Sarah, and your lover will never forgive himself for allowing it to happen. You need to go back to where you belong or you will die."

"My lover?"

Elaina smiled, her cat eye pupils widening in excitement. Sarah thought it strange to watch. "It is a woman in denial who does not see true meaning of an embrace, Miss Sarah. Your future could change but only if you take a different path." She pulled away, putting her hood back up. "I may see you again."

"Sarah." Jareth called, who came back to see what was taking her so long.

Pulling herself away from Elaina's cell, Sarah made her way outside the corridor and to the courts, thoughts of a chaotic future plaguing her mind.

* * *

"Brace yourself…" Morrigan smiled devilishly at a human child before her. The little boy was no older than four, his face soiled with tears. He had just watched his parents turn into vampyre, their screams echoing down the corridors as they were dragged to be thrown into the dungeons with the rest of her recruits.

"P-please…" The little boy whined, backing into the vampyre solder's that stood behind him.

"Now, now. Don't cry. You don't want to be weak, do you?" She leaned in, bending to his level, her eyes full of devious intent. "I'm going to make you strong…"

"No!" The child screamed. "No! Don't!"

Morrigan didn't have much patience for children. She hated them, even those of her own race. They were just so…whiney and ignorant. She couldn't believe she ever was one…

Instead of continuing her coaxing, her little smile was replaced with an annoyed look as she just yanked the boy up from the neck with a harsh jerk. When he screamed in fear she bit into him, making him scream louder, his cries soon ceasing into a hushed whimper as she drained his blood. And in that moment, Morrigan thought about why on earth she'd want a child to become a vampyre. She didn't need them slowing things down…

So, she drained him, slowly, making him feel the pain and panic of losing his life drop by drop. While she was enjoying her little snack, Orin came into her throne room, the scene not phasing him at all. Except, the look on his face mirrored concern, not for the child, or even his queen, but for himself, for he had news that may or may not bring out the Queen's more…temperamental side.

"Morrigan…" He gestured to her, but her lips stayed on the child's neck as her eyes opened at met Orin's.

"The Fairie are preparing for war…they've already begun preparations to cross our borders. It is quite possible that they could be on our doorstep within two days."

She ignored him, as if that news was of no concern of hers. He continued, "And, it seems that the Goblin King may be involved in some kind of alliance with the Elven Kingdom. He is actually posted there now, he left in quite a hurry I'm told. He had his slave girl with him too. But I don't believe there's a prob-"

Morrigan threw the child toward the wall in a fit, the poor boy's head cracking against the stone wall as he hit. "What do you mean he's with the elves?"

Orin glanced at the body of the child and continued, "I am told that he went very shortly after your appearance in the court yesterday. But I see no reason to worry about possible goblin reinforcements for the war-"

"That is not what I'm worried about you twit." She spat, wiping the blood from her mouth. "What is he doing there? Who is he talking to?"

"Why does it matter, your grace?" He said, his voice slightly agitated as he gave her an accusing look. He had a feeling something was going on between the two of them but just wasn't sure what, if anything was really going on. But the way she seemed so concerned with him running around the Underground unsettled him. He was promised the throne after the war was over and he wasn't going to let some kind of romance between that foolish Jareth and Morrigan ruin his chances at dominating the Underground.

"Because, it does." She shot him a dominating glare. "Do not forget that I am Queen, Orin, and I have the right to ask whatever questions I want without your interrogations."

"And do not forget, Queen, that you promised me the crown after-"

She interrupted him with a laugh, secretly thinking about how daft he really was. "Yes, yes." She lied, shooting him a fake flirtatious smile. "Leave me be now, Orin. I must think about my war in peace. Planning is everything." She chuckled, shooing him away.

"I have some ideas-"

"I don't need your ideas." She yawned, exaggerating it out a little. "Leave me."

His temper rising, Orin turned his heel and left the throne room, the guards locking the doors behind him. As soon as she was sure he was out of range, she stood up, rage written on her features, her hands balled into angry fists at her side. "Jareth!" she screamed, calling him to her in a shrieking fury.

* * *

"This is….amazing." Marielle whispered as her and Sarah passed through the gardens behind the castle. They were back in the center of the Labyrinth, although a little earlier in the morning than she would have preferred. The trip back was quick and amazing; they just disappeared and reappeared in an instant though Jareth quickly went to his room shortly after their arrival saying he was very tired from dragging so many people around large distances. They didn't bother him, just decided to stay outside as the sun had just started to rise over the seemingly never ending twists and turns of the Labyrinth walls.

"Aren't they beautiful?" Sarah asked as they gazed up the ruby trees, the stone bulbs glistening in the early sun. "Have you heard the story behind them? There once was a goddess-"

"Amourii." Marielle said, smiling just slightly. "My parents used to tell me tales of this place. The Labyrinth has always been a birthplace of mysterious stories and legends…"

"What happened to your parents?" Sarah asked quietly, unsure if such a topic would upset the girl.

"The same thing that happened to me, I suppose…" She sighed, shaking her head. "I don't have a hope that they're still alive. They were captured a week before I was…"

"Captured?" Sarah asked, confused by all of this. Jareth had forgotten to mention exactly what was going on and when she asked Dmitri before they left the Elven Kingdom, he said it was nothing 'she needed to worry about'. So where else better to get answers from than another human that was actually in the loop?

Marielle, however, was surprised by the questions rather than upset. "Do you not know what's happening?"

"I am apparently not important enough to be told things." Sarah said, annoyed.

"I come from the northern territories, the kingdom of Vibenae. The dominating race is Vampyre. Humans like us are slaves, used as working hands, maids, and sometimes….sexual objects and food…" She paused as if reliving a memory in her head.

"Our Queen is a very evil woman. She is trying to eliminate humans and using us for her own personal goals. You see, humans are the only ones that can be turned into Vampyre…they call it the 'mark of blood'. She forced it upon many of us, turning us into monsters. Normally, we'd be the same person after the change except for the bloodlust, but Morrigan caged us…for days…some even for weeks without sustaining us with necessary blood."

Sarah listened with sympathy, envisioning gruesome scenes.

"So we grew hungrier and hungrier, becoming delirious…lost in our own monstrous bodies. I swear, when I attacked it you, I couldn't control it. It was just like, I needed to…" Marielle looked at Sarah, her eyes a little wet from reliving the memories. "And you saved me. Twice even! I am forever in your debt, Miss Sarah." And then she hugged her.

Surprised by the show of affection, Sarah smiled a little and hugged the girl back. It was terrorizing to think of the things the girl of only fourteen went through in homeland, let alone what happened after things changed. For some reason, Sarah felt compelled to be there for her, probably because when she looked at Marielle, she saw herself in a way…

"I'm going to go and speak to Jareth." Sarah said as they pulled away from each other. "I'll meet you inside, just be careful of the goblins, they'll probably threaten to eat you."

"Why do you speak of the King that way?" Marielle asked curiosity in her tone. "You call him by his name, as if you knew him on a personal level."

Sarah scoffed as she headed toward the doors that lead inside, "He will never be able to get me to call him 'highness' or 'master'. I'm not his property."

"Then are you his mistress?"

"No!" Sarah yelped. "There is no way in hell that is even a possibility!"

"Then why do you call him by his name?"

"Because I like to piss him off."

* * *

Jareth lay there in, shirtless and relaxed among the fluffy pillows of the elaborate bed he rarely got the pleasure of sleeping in. He was tired and drained, as if he had a leak in his energy pool and the last few drops were sticking to the walls in an attempt to escape the drain.

Everything was getting more and more complex. All he could think about was how to deal with Sarah. He had an evil queen breathing down his neck, a cabinet of royals preparing for a losing war, a friend who knew half his secrets, and a fourteen year old slave girl living with his goblins. And yet all he could think about was Sarah and whether or not she would really decide to give up on the Aboveground.

He couldn't think of a reason she shouldn't stay in the Underground. Then again, he couldn't think of a reason why she should stay with him. Aside from the obvious reasons including crazy Vampyre and a war coming, he feared that she'd finally start to give in to him.

What comes with such things? He had wished she stayed the first time. He was willing to go to the Kingdoms and plead the Labyrinth's case of choosing its ruler, whether or not they come from this world or the next. He was prepared to drop all his whores, his personal goals, his responsibilities, all for her.

And now she had the audacity to just show up again and change her mind after she rejected him and everything he was willing to give her?

He desperately wanted to hate her. He wanted so badly to tell Sarah no about Marielle, and leave her there to be executed in the Elven Kingdom. He wanted to just make her feel pain for her past decisions…

But, he thought, the Labyrinth obviously did that already. Jareth wasn't the only one who was mad at her; so was the Labyrinth. She denied its gifts and for that, she was punished, not only with her dreams being ripped from her and her womb forever untouchable, but with the Vampyre attack.

True, he had allowed Morrigan and her army passage through it, but he wasn't entirely sure if it would allow such actions. And it did! Even when it knew Sarah was wandering through once again, it knew it had to find a way for her to stay this time.

The manner of it could have been different, but he wasn't complaining. She seemed to change her mind very quickly after seeing the handiwork of the powers that the Labyrinth had given her. And for a moment, Jareth pondered on the idea that perhaps Sarah was the key to getting out of Morrigan's grasp. Perhaps, she could even reverse the process that Morrigan was putting on her once human puppets….

There was a hard knock on his door and he sighed in annoyance, "Be gone Goblins! I'm not in the mood for your dancing and song singing tonight!"

The knocking continued. He stood, making his way to the door and opening it with a forced temper, "If you don't let me rest-"

But it was Sarah at the door, not goblins. "You'll what? Kick me off one of the balconies?"

"How did you find my room?" He asked, confused. He distinctively hid his quarters among several sets of winding staircases, hidden doors, and elaborate trick walls.

"I came up the stairs and there was a big pretty door that just screamed your name?" She said questioningly, not sure what kind of answer he was expecting. "Anyway, I need to talk to you…"

He opened the door and let her in, heading back to the bed, taking a seat on the edge.

The first thing Sarah noticed in the room wasn't Jareth but a beautiful crystal vase sitting on a table in the center of the room. It had a detailed engraving of a nude woman, holding herself, images of animals and creatures of fantasy floating around her.

When she finally stopped looking around the large, highly decorated and gorgeous room full of elaborate paintings and poetry carved into the stone walls, she noticed Jareth's half naked form. He was shirtless which was no big deal, of course, just strange to see considering it just made him look so much more…normal.

Without being clad in leather or fluffy and glittery things, he looked much like a normal man, except his ears and wild mane of hair, and his eyes of course. His beautiful eyes…

"I want you to tell me everything." She said, trying to take her mind off of such frivolous things. This was Jareth, after all. The Goblin King, the infuriating villain of a man that ruined her life. She needed to remember that.

"And what does 'everything' entail?" He yawned, rubbing his eyes.

"What's going on in the Underground?"

"Lots of things, too complex for your understanding-"

"I changed that girl!" She said, her voice loud and stern as her finger pointed in the direction of outside. "She was a monster and I changed her into a normal fourteen year old girl! Don't tell me things are 'too complex' for me to understand. I'm not a child anymore, Jareth, I am a woman who has been through a whole bunch of unnecessary crap because of YOU. Now tell me what I want to know."

Jareth looked at her stoically for a moment and then shrugged. "Okay."

Did he just say 'okay'? Sarah took a deep breath and attempted to compose herself more professionally, somewhat taken aback by his response. "Is there a war in the Underground?"

"Yes. The Vampyre Queen of the north has conducted genocide on her human slaves. She plans to overrun all the kingdoms with them and take over the world." He stated blandly. "She just declared war not even 24 hours ago. All the countries are preparing their warriors and armies. My job is to stay here and make sure the Labyrinth is a safe escape in case things go unfavorable for them."

"But there are vampyre in the Labyrinth."

"Not anymore." He lied, not liking where this discussion was going. "Can I rest now, please?"

"If I stay..." She started, grabbing his complete attention, "I want to help."

"No." It was a quick answer, predetermined, giving her the idea that he had already thought about it.

"I want to see if I can change any more people. Maybe I could even save all those people from being killed…"

"Believe me, on a battle field, you won't have the time to go attempting miracles on a thousand hungry vampyre fighting a thousand angry countrymen." He plopped down then, falling back on the bed and closing his eyes.

"I can do what I want—Hey! I'm not finished talking to you!" She neared him and nudged his leg that was still hanging off the bed. "Jareth."

He ignored her, losing all interest immediately after his eyes closed. Oh, it felt so good to just lay down after days of unsettling thoughts and crazy women ruling over all the choices he made…

"Jareth." Sarah said again, trying to wake him. She hovered over his form, wanting to slap him in the face but deciding that idea was probably a bad one. But on looking down at his form she noticed his chest, hard, slightly muscular, and seemingly smooth to the touch…

She shook her head. "Jareth, wake up." Against her better judgment, she touched his arm and immediately regretted it when she found his hand wrapped around her forearm and pulling her on top of him. She let out a surprised gasp and in a mere moment, was beneath him, on the bed, a small smile accompanying a tired face. "You know," He said tauntingly, "you failed at the Labyrinth, Sarah. Don't you owe me something?"

She stared up at him, feeling awkward beneath his shirtless form. It was as if she was reliving her bedroom scene except she felt less inclined to tell him to 'shove it'. "It wasn't a fair game-"

"How did I know you were going to say that? Everything about it was fair. You just lost."

Sarah could feel her heart beating faster in her chest. How was she going to get out of this one?

…Did she even want to?

She said nothing, no complaints, no childish remarks but just looked at him, into his dreamy multicolored eyes. Although he put on a mask of hostility and cruel nature, when she looked at him now, she felt as though that a mask was all it truly was. Who was this man really? Why did he hide behind such shows of vindictive bravado? Did she really ruin his life after she refused to stay in the Underground when she was a girl?

"Did I really hurt you that much?" she mumbled quietly. His playful look soon disappeared and he removed himself from her, letting her free. He had just realized what he had done. He let her see another side of him; the side he didn't want anyone to know he had, especially Sarah.

"I need to rest. Go babysit your new pet." He muttered, his cold tone returning.

"Tell me, was it all true? The story? I know that the Labyrinth and this place is real but…" She paused, trying to figure out if the playbook she had always read, the stories she had always dreamed out, were all true.

_But what no one knew…_

"Sarah, please. I'm not in the mood for frivolous follies." He waved her off, trying to get her to stop thinking so much about it. It wasn't that he didn't want her to know, it was a wonder she had never believed the story in the first place but it was the fact that if she started thinking of herself as the girl the Goblin King had fallen in love with, she would use it against him...and ruin him yet again.

…_was that the Goblin King fell in love with the girl, and gave her certain powers…_

"Is that why you want me to stay here, Jareth?" she pressed on, ignoring his warnings. "Are you…in love with me?"

Jareth laughed at her. He threw his head up and laughed, she couldn't tell that it was all an act. "You really think I am capable of loving such a childish, ill mannered, wreck of a woman Sarah?"

She silenced, hurt at his words. And when she looked at his eyes, she could see that nasty mask being pulled over his face once again. Perhaps she was wrong about everything. Maybe it wasn't a mask, maybe it was just him: cruel, deceitful, and spiteful.

"You want to know a secret?" He spat, his tone bitter. "The little girl that walked into the Labyrinth without fear however childish she may have been ten years ago was a girl that held nothing back. Her head was full of fantastic little dreams that could have taken her anywhere she wanted, had she not shunned the very thing she valued most. That girl, Sarah, was someone I would have fallen in love with. You are just the tragic remains."

Sarah took a deep breath, anger welling up inside her chest. "Very well then. Take me home. I've changed my mind."

"No." He said without a hint of sympathy. "You've made up your mind. You're mine, stuck here until I tire of your face."

Without another word, she turned her heel and went out the door, hurt and angry by his words. She was wrong. Jareth was never going to be capable of feeling any kind of compassion or kindness for anyone unless he gained something from it. He was just an evil man who hated anything and everything that didn't bend to his will.

As she left and slammed the door behind her, Jareth stood and let out a sigh, putting his hand to his forehead. He didn't want to be so cruel to her but if he wasn't, what would happen? Was he cursed to walk the earth alone with hatred and malice in his heart? Was he forever bound to his tragic fate because of what he did? If he showed her who he really was, would she reject him yet again?

He grabbed the vase Sarah had been looking at and threw it hard against the wall, shattering it into pieces. He kicked his tables, threw his papers and let out his frustration on his bedroom.

"_Jareth!"_

He heard her, in his head, her angry scream as she called him to her. Morrigan's voice seemed to drown out his own rage as he quickly transformed into an owl, annoyed yet relieved that he was pulled from his temper.

* * *

Hey guys-

Thanks for reading and keeping up with the story this long. I personally am proud of what this is turning into, and believe me; I've got a lot more planned ahead. I've noticed that the amount of people that have decided to follow the story with alerts has been increasing with each chapter added and that's great! However- a note for those readers: if you are an author on this site, you know how important it is to get reviews! There's so many of you that have claimed to like the story but haven't put forth any opinions! Plain and simple the formula for a popular story = **lots **of **lengthy** chapters +**well written** content+ **fantastic** storyline *the **amount** of reviews! The more you wonderful readers review, the more readers we'll have and thus making me work harder to produce more of the previously stated!

I know that a lot of people don't like to review because they don't know what to say. Just tell me what you think! I want to know how I can make it better, or what exactly you'd like to see happen. Ultimately I know it's my choice to decide where the story goes but what do you like reading? More scenes with Sarah and Jareth's complicated love/hate relationship? More scenes with Morrigan and Jareth's heated power play? Another awkward scene with Sarah and Dmitri? A love triangle? More about the goddess Amourii who the title is based off of? More fights? More blood? SEX? Tell me! Do it. Right now. Click the button and spaz out on the keyboard. I will read them and possibly even reply—swear!

Thanks for reading.

With love,

Shimya


	10. Chapter Ten

Under the Ruby Trees

By Shimya

Inspired by _The Labyrinth_, which is copyrighted, and not by me!

* * *

Chapter Ten

"With the Elves? At a time like this?" Morrigan scolded Jareth as he stood before her in her throne room. "Do you realize how close I am to my prize? How could I trust you with our arrangement if you go running around with the enemy?"

"Because I'm still here." He stated blandly, unscathed by her yelling. "A brief visit to another kingdom does not mean I'm planning against you, no matter how much I wish I could."

"Pfft." She scoffed, "If you truly wanted me dead Jareth you would have ignored the _Dalamiore_ and just killed me, it's not like you have much to be living for."

"The Labyrinth needs a-"

"Oh silence about the Labyrinth already! In a matter of weeks, the entirety of it will be nothing but ruins." She snapped, looking at her sharp finger nails.

"Why did you put vampyre in the Labyrinth without my permission?" Jareth brought up her treachery, knowing she would shrug it off. But what if a child had been wished away and an innocent Abovegrounder was wondering through? What if Sarah had actually died from her wounds? Her tricks were way past the point of ignoring now.

She smiled. "Oh, Jareth, please don't be angry with me. I just wanted to plant some seeds…You already agreed to let me use it, the timing is my choice, not yours."

"You should have told me."

"Why?" she coaxed, curious. "Did something happen?" She let out an exaggerated gasp, "Did a little Aboveground human get sucked into your little game and die?"

"I am the keeper of the Labyrinth. If anything goes wrong, it will not react kindly-"

"Or did something happen to your little human?" She questioned, ignoring his other remarks.

"What?" He asked, not showing his surprise. Did she know about Sarah?

"I know you have a little human servant in your castle. Who is she?" She stood, making her way toward him. He didn't move as she circled him like a cat playing with a mouse. "Is there something you need that goblins cannot provide little Fae?" She smiled, her tone suddenly becoming more seductive. She stopped behind him and wrapped her arms around him in a flirtatious manner. "I can provide you with a lot more any human can Jareth…"

He took a deep breath, trying to ignore her actions. She truly sickened him; everything about her was wicked and deceitful. In a sick way they were almost alike. Although Jareth had morals that he dare not cross, he too, was cruel to those around him, to his goblins, …to Sarah. He hurt her with his words and he knew it. He was angry at her for trying to break down his walls but most of all he was angry at himself for not being able to let her just as she started to show interest in their dysfunctional relationship. All he wanted to do was hurt something and release his tensions…

Morrigan seemed as though she was reading his mind. She kissed the back of his neck softly, her hands trailing down the front of his body finding the solution for his stress. "I can give you something better than any human slave girl can…" She whispered, nipping at his earlobe. "Have you ever been with a vampyre before Jareth?"

He had. It was an exotic experience, different from that of having a woman of any other race. Vampyre were the same between the sheets that they were in the outside world; carnivorous, rough, and dominating creatures.

However, Morrigan was more vile than any other vampyre in the Underground. Not only did she disgust him but she had power over him which made him more apt to deny her anything he was able in his situation.

"Don't touch me." he said sternly as he slapped her hand away. When he walked out of her reach, he noticed the look on her face was one of dissatisfaction. "What's her name- your human slave? If she is truly satisfying you, I should ask her secrets…."

"A human servant is not of any importance to you. And you won't go near her. I don't want you changing the only help I have around that goblin filled castle into a ravenous vampyre." He lied, thinking of a way to keep her in the dark about Sarah entirely.

But Morrigan refused to let it go.

"In going to the Elven Kingdom, it must be difficult for you to transfer yourself and another being in a matter of seconds across the border. I could think of no reasons you'd want to put your body through that strain. Perhaps it was because your little girl ran about the Labyrinth, hm?"

She began circling him again. "The Goblin City doesn't have doctors, but the elves do. Were you trying to save a desperate little girl's life?"

"Whether or not that happened, it should be of no surprise to you that I don't let people just die in my kingdom, Morrigan."

She chuckled, "No, Jareth, you wouldn't, but why the hurry? If she were just a servant you certainly wouldn't bolt through the countryside in such a short time. Please, puppet, tell me who she is?"

And then, again, like before in his courtroom, he felt a sting of pain through his head, sharp and unbearable. He fell to the ground on his knees in an instant, holding his head in his hands. It felt as though his skull was splitting and Morrigan just stood above him, her eyes intent on getting answers.

"Who is she?" She cooed, bending down to his level, watching him squirm. "You've never in all these years shown any interest in human servants. Why now? What's so special about this one?"

"Nothing!" He yelled, pain taking over his temper.

"Now now, I know you're hiding things from me. When will you learn that you can't hide anything from me?"

He got up ignoring the pain in his skull and grabbed her by her neck with a deadly grip. She fell back in surprise as he sat on top of her, both hands wrapped around her throat in a murderous rage. Blood dripped from his nose and landed on her cheek.

But instead of fighting back or ordering him to stop, she smiled up at him as his grip became tighter and tighter. "Do it." She said, struggling to get the words out. "Snap my neck, little fae. What will happen to you afterward will be a fate worse than death with the _Dalamiore_."

He wanted to kill her, to end everything in that instant, to prove to her and himself that he was not a creature that could be tamed and trained to follow orders. He wanted to snap her neck, it would be so easy to just tighten his grip a little more…and rip her throat out…

But he let go and just as he did, the pain in his head stopped. He wiped the blood away from his face and stood, leaving her there laughing on the marble floor of her throne room.

As he turned into an owl and headed for the open windows of the castle, Morrigan yelled back at him with confidence in her voice, "The war is starting, Jareth! I will win and everything will be mine! There is nothing you can do to stop me!"

All the while, neither of them knew or suspected that Orin had been spying on them from behind closed doors.

* * *

Sarah took a deep breath in as she rubbed a soft, wet plant across her marred skin on her neck and forearm. She was told by that doctor that such a plant would help her wounds heal quickly and help with the scarring. She watched in the mirror as she noticed it already begin to take effect. Her wounds closed in a matter of minutes, slowly, but surely, bringing dead skin cells back to life, making her body regenerate 100 times faster than it would have naturally.

Content with the effects, Sarah removed her dress in order to attempt to heal her back, which was still raw from the lashings just a week or so before. It was awkward trying to maneuver her arm around in order to get every inch of skin but she was soon interrupted with an owl flying through her window.

In a hurry, she yanked up her dress, unable to clasp it so she held it against her breasts, not wanting history to repeat itself. "Why do you keep doing that? Get out."

He became himself in an instant, looking at the scene before him. He could tell she was still angry with him for the talk they had a few hours before. And he too was angry at himself for saying the things he did, despite the fact he feared her reaction to the truth. He truly hated having no control.

"Your wounds have healed nicely." He said, voice low and still tired, she could tell.

She shot him an accusing glare before turning to the mirror. "There is all sorts of magic in this place that they could use back home."

He noticed her back was still flawed and he made his way behind her, taking the plant from the table. "Let me help you."

"Why would you want to? You're the one that ordered me to have these lashings in the first place." She said in a rude and bitter way.

"Then let me show you how sorry I am."

He rubbed the large leaflet down her back, watching her wound close completely, the scars that would have been there slowly becoming less and less visible, although still there. After a moment of silence, Sarah turned and looked at him, resentment still in her eyes. "What do you want from me?"

He was slightly taken aback by her question. What did he want? He wanted her to act like the women he knew she truly was. He wanted her to take her place in the Underground without question. He wanted her to know about how he truly felt, and…he wanted her to love him.

"Nothing." He said mildly, putting the leaflet down and making his way toward the door.

"You're a liar." She said, watching him as he stopped in mid step. "Tell me, have you ever once told the truth in your entire life?"

He smiled but only a little as he turned back toward her. "You truly have no idea the positions I find myself in, Sarah."

"Only because you keep everything secret, like if anyone knew who you were behind that mask that you hide behind then the end of the world would ensue. You try so hard to push me away but keep me close at the same time. I can't keep doing this."

"Then don't. Go home. Go to where it's safe, where you won't have to deal with anything."

"No." She said, sighing. "I don't think that's an option anymore."

"Then stop complaining." He started to turn around again but was stopped when she slammed a hand down on the vanity in front of her in frustration.

"Tell me the truth. For once, just tell me why I'm here. I know I wished myself away but it was your choice to bring me back here so tell me why you did it."

He was silent for a moment before deciding that maybe it was time to stop his games. Perhaps the consequences wouldn't go as wrong as he thought they would…

"I brought you here because I wanted to hurt you."

"Hurt me?" Her eyebrows furrowed.

"When you beat the Labyrinth, I was on the verge of collapse. My authority over the Labyrinth was questioned. I was almost removed from my position as the Goblin King. I almost lost everything."

She didn't say anything, just listened, feeling slightly guilty.

"And…" He began, unsure, "you rejected me, Sarah. I offered you everything you could possibly want and you said no."

She met his eyes. This time they a mirrored something she had never seen in him before; sadness. Deep unhappiness, rooted to his core. It wasn't game of wits that he had actually lost the first time she was here, but a game of the heart, something she had never stopped to really realize. It was never about that, not then. She didn't want to reject her dreams, her wishes…she did it for Toby…

"I didn't mean to reject…everything.." She said quietly, "I just thought that you didn't want to lose. You're so domineering, Jareth. I thought all you wanted was to beat me, to take Toby!" Her tone strengthened and turned into a shout.

"You know nothing!" He yelled back at her, his voice harsh. "You are blind to everything in this place! Don't you see that the reason I offered you your dreams was to keep you here because the Labyrinth chose you? Toby was never a part of it, Sarah, it was all about you! From the beginning, it was a test for you!"

He lost it, finally, his emotions flaring out wildly in his body language, in his voice, on his face. His temper flared and his heart ached while she stood there, her eyes wide from realization. How could she have been so blind, she thought. How could she not see it all laid out before her?

"Did I…hurt you?" She asked, unknown to what she was feeling.

He said nothing, didn't meet her gaze, a fear in his gut. What had he just done?

She neared him, her dress still only being held up by a hand. With her other hand, she touched his cheek, as if seeing him as a completely different person. When she pulled his eyes to her, the words that escaped her lips surprised him. "I didn't reject you because I didn't want to be a part of this. I wanted to be a part of this place more than anything, Jareth. Look around- everything this place is, everything it represents was all I thought about as a child, it was my escape from a world I knew I didn't belong in. I wanted so badly to accept your offer, to be here, where magic and monsters are real; where everything that exists seems as though it hopped right out of a fairy tale book. But I couldn't. I wished Toby away- I abandoned him- me staying here would have been the same thing. It was the first adult decision I made, the only one I'd ever made. It had to be done."

She sighed, as if a weight had been lifted. "I never wanted to hurt you. I didn't even think I could…"

And what happened next surprised him even more. Her lips met his in a soft and light kiss. It wasn't a kiss of pity or regret, but a kiss filled with repentant feeling. He kissed her back, being bold enough as to wrap his arms around her in a loving way.

_I wanna know what you really think of me,_

_I wanna feel all the pain that sets you free._

_These waves of doubt are drowning me,_

_Gone are the days when this was easy._

She didn't fight him, didn't move, and only leaned into his body, dropping her dress in focusing on his lips. He moved his mouth to her cheek and then down her neck, pressing her against him, the feelings between them morphing into wanting. He wanted more than her kiss. She wanted more than his embrace.

_Buried in the past- so many moments I want back_

_Tomorrow doesn't hold onto yesterday_

He picked her up then, her dress slipping completely off and down to the floor. He rested her on her bed, never letting his lips leave her neck. It was almost unbearable to the both of them when he pulled away to remove his clothes. When he hovered above her, her cheeks flushed and her eyes glazed over with lust, she pulled him close, their skin touching, her fingers wrapping in his hair as his kisses rained down her chest.

_If I fall back into you,_

_Don't fight it, don't fight it._

_Show me what we've got to lose,_

_Don't hide it, don't hide it._

_Memories stuck in my head_

_All the things I should have said…_

_If I fall back into you,_

_Don't fight it, don't fight it._

Sarah let out small and quiet moans as his mouth grazed over her breasts, his hands wandering to every inch of her form. He wanted to take her all in, kiss every area of her body, and claim her as his own. Slowly and carefully, he opened her legs and slipped his finger into her, feeling exactly how much she truly did want him. She ran her hands down his back, wanting nothing more than for her to take her.

_I wanna know after all these lessons learned,_

_If there's a road from these the bridges the we've burned._

_I need to know if you still want me,_

_Want to me show how much I need you._

"Do you want this?" He asked her, his breath heavy, as if he was making himself ask her. He wanted her to know what she was doing, wanted her to make sure she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

"Yes." She breathed, "I want this. I want you." She kissed him again, enveloping his lips, feeling his tongue wrap around hers in the passion.

_Buried in the past so many moments I want back,_

_Tomorrow doesn't hold onto yesterday._

His fingers moved inside her for a moment longer as she moaned under his kisses. Part of him wanted to play with her there, truly take in the moment, dominate her, and make her know what she had given up. But that wasn't who he was right now. He loved her. He wanted to show her.

_Buried in the past so many moments I want back_

_Tomorrow doesn't hold onto yesterday_

And then he entered her as she took in a sharp breath, the feeling enveloping her body. It had been so long since she was touched, so long since a man had given her this special bliss. He seemed to fill her, his kisses never stopping as he pushed into her. She was his, for this moment. She was finally his.

_If you come right back to me,_

_I won't fight it, I won't fight it._

_Show me what you need from me,_

_Don't hide it, don't hide it._

She moaned as their hands intertwined above her head and he gave her everything she wanted in that moment. The sound of his heavy breathing, the feeling of him inside her, the pleasure from his lips on her taunt breasts, it all felt so right. He too was encased in his own heaven, his Sarah, his beautiful Sarah, beneath him as he made sweet love to her…

_If I fall back into you_

_Don't fight it, don't fight it_

_Show me what we've got to lose_

_Don't hide it, don't hide it_

_Memories stuck in my head_

_All the things I should have said_

_If I fall back into you_

_Don't fight it, don't fight it…_

_

* * *

_

Marielle stood there in the lobby entrance of her new home, an ugly goblin that called herself Ursula standing in front of her, not allowing her to pass. It gave her an angry look, its arms crossed, foot patting, and teeth morphed into a despicable little smile.

"Are ye here for me?" She said, beady black eyes twinkling with mischief. "Lord Jareth promised me a baby, but I think ye will do fine…"

"You are not going to eat me." Marielle said in a 'as-a-matter-of-factly' tone. She too crossed her arms, unwilling to back down to the goblin. "You are two feet tall. It is simply irrational to think you could take me down."

Ursula cackled. "There are hundreds of meeee and only one of yooooou."

Countless giggles filled the seemingly empty hall. Marielle looked around, starting to feel less brave. "You wouldn't…"

And then it seemed that the walls burst open with Goblins. They appeared out of nowhere, jumping across the halls, hopping over her shoulders, pinching her legs, pulling her hair, laughing out in chaos! And then, she smacked one, right out of the air- smacked it, and it fell to the floor, everything coming to stop…

All the others looked at their fallen comrade and went to his side as she watched, still slightly frightened. Ursula looked at him and looked then to her, "You killed him!" She pointed, screaming. "You killed little Jawsy! You killed him!"

"No- no I didn't! I didn't kill anyone! That little thing attacked me!" She yelled back, getting frustrated. She neared the motionless little body and poked him but it did nothing. "Oh my…" She said, feeling guilty. "I did kill him…" She crouched down and picked it up, but as soon as she stood, he jumped from her arms and landed on her head, pulling her short brown hair and yanking on her scalp as they all shouted with chaotic glee. "Let go of me you nasty little creature! Get off me!"

Then suddenly, the doors opened and a man waltzed in, all the goblins going completely silent before bolting away, leaving Marielle alone. She looked at him, almost wanting to thank him for making the pests leave, until she noticed who he was.

Orin scowled at her, shaking his head. "Another one? Hopefully you have more manners than that other woman, tripping over her own feet and bumping into people…"

At first, Marielle was unable to move, immobile from a twinge of fear. Her memories shot back to when she was forced to take the Mark of Blood, losing her humanity. She recognized the very same man before her, a vampyre that worked with the Queen, a member of the court. She wanted to run from him, to call for help, not wanting to go back to that place, not wanting to be turned again!

"Well, are you going to take me to your master?" He asked, demanding her attention.

Marielle snapped out of her daze and nodded, bowing her head, not looking him in the eye- it was the manners of a slave and for a moment, she almost forgot what her job was. "Yes…" She turned, about to lead him to the throne room but was unable to direct even herself. She had just gotten there the same morning…where was the throne room? She took a few steps forward and then looked down the halls…

"Do you even know what you're doing?" Orin asked, impatient.

"I just…ah…I think Lord Jareth is resting…" She stuttered, bowing to him again. "I could pass on a message if you have one?"

Orin pushed her aside, and called out to the Goblin King, "Jareth! I need to speak with you immediately Goblin King!"

There was no sign of him after a moment and he turned back to the slave girl. "The only message I want you to pass along to your King is that reckoning is coming to him unless he speaks with me immediately!"

"Now, now, there is no need to yell at her, Orin." Jareth said, coming down the stairs with a hint of agitation in his voice. "She's just a girl, she can only do so much…"

Marielle bowed to Jareth respectfully, "I-I'm sorry, King, I didn't know where your throne room was…and I was unable to direct the councilman appropriately. I will take on whatever punishment my behavior has brought onto me with dignity…"

Orin scoffed at her comments, "Give her to me- I think that'll be punishment enough for her stupidity…"

"Leave us." Jareth said to Marielle, letting the girl scurry off upstairs to look for Sarah. Orin watched her shaking his head and giving Jareth a smile, "It's not in your nature to be heartless, is it?"

"I don't know what you mean." He replied, leading the traitorous vampyre to his throne room. "It's very bold of you to show up here. The other royals want your head because of that little scene yesterday. I am of mind to call them to fetch you…" He said, sitting down in his chair.

Orin laughed, "Oh really? And what would they do to you if they knew the truth about you and Morrigan?"

Jareth said nothing, shooting Orin a glare. "You should watch what you say in my kingdom Orin- it is very unwise to accuse me of treason against the Underground in my own domain."

"I never pegged you for a murderer, Jareth. Which is why I'm so curious as to why you're helping my dear Lady Queen by planting underlings in your Labyrinth."

"There are vampyre in my Labyrinth?"

Orin laughed again, exaggerating his amusement, "You could drop the façade, Fae. I heard the two of you- I know about your involvement. I could tell the royals about how you've been taking orders from her for a while now, planning the entire war without so much as a warning. I'm sure they'd let me keep my head if I gave them you."

Jareth was silent for a moment, thinking about his predicament. It was true, if he were to tell them, he would be done for, assuming they believed him and assuming he was even able to spill his information before Jareth could rid of him….

"Does Morrigan know you're-"

"No." Orin stated, "Morrigan has no idea I'm here, let alone that I know about your little pact. The _Dalamiore_, Jareth? How did you manage to get wrapped into such a devious web?"

"What do you want form me, Orin? Wealth? Power? I can't provide you with anything you don't already have."

"On the contrary, King. Morrigan says that after she's won, she will make me her King and allow me to rule by her side. I know this isn't true. I have come to the realization that her use for me has almost no value now and I have a feeling she will try to rid of me. But you see, with your assistance, I could rid of her before the war can even have a chance to leave the home front."

Jareth smiled, amused. "You want to kill her and look like the hero of the Underground?"

"I would need you to be a witness, of course. Perhaps, after I've taken care of her, we could tell the council about this meeting. Tell them that you gave me a chance to explain my behavior to you and we came up with this plan secretly, as to avoid any obstruction. Once I've murdered her and controlled her underlings, I'll destroy them as a matter of goodwill- the war will be over." Orin smiled again, getting cocky.

"And? What else is in it for you, Orin? So, you'd be a hero- maybe offered pardon for your crimes, but nothing more. What else do you want from this deal?"

He licked his lips with excitement, "I need your vote to be the new King of the North."

"You want to be King of Vibanae? You?" Jareth laughed, more amused at his insane idea now more than he had been to begin with.

"They will need a leader in such a time of hardship. Who better than the Hero of the Underground?" He scowled, not liking the taunting he was getting from the Goblin King.

"And how do you suppose you'll kill Morrigan, Orin? How will you set this all in motion?"

"Simple. I will kill her in her sleep- an easy task for someone she gives herself to every night." He said as if he was gloating.

"She gives herself to you? Really? I would think it would be you giving yourself to her…" Jareth smiled.

Orin glared at him. "Or, we can always just keep going on with how things are- I'll just go into hiding until she loses, or wins, whichever happens doesn't much matter to me- I'll find my place in either scenario."

Jareth took a deep breath and thought a moment, a finger to his lips. If he were to succeed, and it was very slim that he would, then he would be free- his pact with Morrigan completely forgotten. The _Dalamiore_ would disappear if she were dead, the rules just stated that he could not commit the act. Everything would go back to normal…

"Alright Orin." He said finally, "I think it's possible…assuming you don't fail at killing her. That is all you need to do and the rest will fall into place. Kill Morrigan and you end the war and save the Underground from destruction."

"I have your trust then?" Orin asked, bowing to him.

"Succeed and you will have anything you want." Jareth said, dismissing Orin from his throne room.

* * *

The scene was gruesome. Bodies littered the ground everywhere, vampyre roaming the folds, feeding on anything that moved within the walls. The wind was cold, the scissors to her skin. An owl hooted from a nearby tree, a ruby tree, the blossoms void of color now. She knew this place. It was the Castle beyond Goblin City, it was the Labyrinth.

The only light came from inside the castle, cheerful laughs escaping the doors, people in masks flooding in. She made her way past them and found herself in a white silk dress, clinging to her form and a white mask made of dove feathers hiding her face. She was the only one not wearing red, the mass of people hiding behind ugly and terrifying masks of black and blood.

They all looked at her as she pushed her way in and she looked at all of them, trying once again to find him. Where was he? She didn't like this place. Why wasn't he here? She could take the teasing and laughing from the others, but these people were different. They weren't saying anything, just eyeing her, wanting to hurt her…

She pushed herself through the final crowd and stumbled into the center of the ballroom floor, the spotlight on two people dancing. The woman was the only one dressed in black, her face completely hidden and distorted. But the man, the man was Jareth. She wanted to reach out and touch him, let him know she was there, but she was afraid. As soon as she took a step, the music and the dancing stopped, both of them looking straight at her. Jareth's eyes were cold and dead, his body suddenly falling to the floor, as if he was a puppet that a child has just dropped.

She gasped, falling to her knees at his side. He was dead! He was dead! How could he be dead?

The distorted woman let out a loud laugh, grabbing Sarah by the throat and throwing her back into the mass of people in red.

And they each took a bite out of her, pain shooting through her body, blood pouring from her veins. She opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out, no one would hear her. No one would be there to save her—

Sarah bolted awake at that moment, her dream, no….her nightmare leaving fear in her chest. She looked around, noticing that Jareth was gone. Was it all a dream? Did the two of them really….?

She took a breath and relaxed, remembering their actions. She had broken his wall and all she had to do was apologize- it was always such a minuscule thing that ended up being the root of such problems…She wondered if things would be different between them now. Was it just lust that had overtaken her? She admitted that part of it had to be- through all his teasing and all her dreaming of him…but she knew some of it had deeper roots. She was just a little uncomfortable thinking about it all. What would he expect of her now? What would SHE have to expect of him?

"_Sarah_…"

Hearing her name broke her train of thought and she looked around the room curiously. It was barely audible- a faint whisper…it sounded like multiple voices… were the goblins playing tricks on her?

"…_Sarah_…_come_…"

She stood and dressed herself quickly, not sure exactly what she was doing. Where was that coming from? Who was calling her? "Hello," she called back, "Where are you?"

She opened the door and saw Marielle just about to knock. "Oh, Miss Sarah, there you are!"

"Hello Marielle, ah….do you hear that?"

Marielle gave her a curious look, "Hear what?"

"_Sarah_…"

"That." Sarah said, her eyes wandering all over the hall. "Where is that coming from…?"

"Miss Sarah, I don't hear anything."

"Just a minute… I'll be right back…" She passed her, making her way downstairs, the girl following at a distance. "Miss Sarah, are you alright?"

"Just a minute…" She repeated, listening. The voice didn't stop, it kept calling and she felt it in her chest, a pull, like a magnet, making her leave the castle. Marielle continued to follow, staying silent as she watched, not knowing exactly what was going on.

Sarah made her way outside the gates, now feeling as if she had to find something. She made her way past several goblins, spending their days in their little homes and gardens. She ignored all other noises and she traveled quickly through Goblin City, as if her body knew exactly where she was going and eventually she got all the way to the Labyrinth.

The door that entered the Labyrinth was shut, glistening in the light of the late afternoon. She stopped in front of it and just stood for a moment, Marielle catching up to her but still keeping a respectful distance. "Miss Sarah, what's going on?"

"I don't know…" Sarah mumbled, feeling as if she was in a trance that couldn't be broken. "I just feel...something.."

"Please, Lord Jareth will be wondering where we are…"

"Jareth…" She replied stoically, her head dropping. "Yes…Jareth will be worried…"

Sarah's body stood still for a long moment until Marielle slowly approached, worried herself about what spell had come over her. "Sarah…?" She touched her shoulder and she turned to face her, her eyes empty and glossy, as if she were dead. "Miss Sarah?"

"I need to go inside the Labyrinth." Sarah said, only her voice sounded as if there were several voices running through her. "It's calling me."

Marielle backed away from her, frightened at such a transformation. "What's happened to you?"

Sarah ignored her, and turned back to the doors that opened themselves. Marielle tried to stop her from entering for fear she may run into more vampyre but before she could frantically follow, Sarah disappeared behind the doors as they shut tight, leaving Marielle outside the Labyrinth not knowing what to do.

* * *

To those of you who reviewed- thank you. I'm glad I finally know what you guys think of this story! Hopefully, your feelings haven't changed after reading this chapter- I've included some heavy stuff in here to get the ball rolling on the climax. I'd love to hear your opinions as well as your criticism. I debated on whether or not to have Jareth and Sarah move forward in their relationship but after reading over what I had, I decided that it's about time to move things along. I don't feel that it was rushed through due to the confrontation in the previous chapter, so hopefully you readers don't feel that way either.

As for the ending here- it's a little different, but after looking over your comments it would make sense that the Labyrinth communicate with Sarah somehow- I've already hinted at it being somewhat of a deity to the Underground and it correlates that it be 'calling' to Sarah due to the fact it obviously picked her to be a part of it. Hopefully I've kept your interest. :]

By the way, the 10 Years reference has no super significant meaning- I just find myself listening to a lot of them when I write this fic and it happens to somewhat apply to the actions that took place…. I don't own the song _Don't Fight It_- REMEMBER THAT!

Reviews, as always, are highly appreciated.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Under the Ruby Trees

By Shimya

Inspired by _The Labyrinth_, which is copyrighted, and not by me!

* * *

Chapter Eleven

"What do you mean, she ran into the Labyrinth?" Jareth pressed as Marielle sat before him in a panic.

"She said it was calling to her. She just ran all the way through the Goblin City, to the edge of the Labyrinth! The doors, they opened all by themselves. And Lord Jareth, I think I've gone mad, but I could swear that she was speaking as if through multiple persons!"

"She said it was calling to her…?" Jareth asked, confused. The Labyrinth had never, in all his days as King, done such a thing. Communication with the Labyrinth was reserved for its King, no one else could possibly hold that ability. However, even he had never experienced this so called "calling". His communication was different- more of a feeling rooted deep within his emotional barriers- the Labyrinth had never had a voice.

"Lord Jareth, I'm worried for her. I fear they may still be Vampyre in the Labyrinth…" Marielle said, feeling guilty for letting her go.

"I need to go and find her…"

Just as he moved from his seat, the doors to his throne room opened, Adriel, King of Fae, waltzing in with haste. "Where is he?"

"Who?" Jareth said, surprised by his visit. He had said he was going to speak with him more on matters of Morrigan, but why did he have to choose now?

"I had reports of Orin heading this way. Do you have him? Is he in your dungeons?"

"Orin has not appeared here, King." Jareth lied, bowing in respects. "If he had, I would have apprehended him myself."

However, Adriel did not fall for the façade. He smiled at Jareth eerily, nearing the younger Fae with suspicion in his eyes. "I implore you to be careful of your words, Jareth. Treason has a high price to pay."

Jareth shot him a look of irritation. "I have no such things to hide from you."

Nodding, Adreil looked at Marielle, who sat quietly to herself. "Be careful- housing humans here could bring upon the plague Morrigan has already unleashed upon her own lands."

"What do you mean?"

Adriel sighed, a look of worry coming over his aged features. "Morrigan has let loose her undead victims on her own country. They are attacking everything, even her own people. She must have kept them locked away, for days, weeks, perhaps even months. They are feeding on anything that moves, traveling through the towns and cities of Vibanae."

"How long ago did this happen?" Truly worried now, Jareth approached his former King. "How long?"

"We got the word the same moment the information of Orin came through. It only happened 2 hours ago but….they may very well hit the home front of the Fairie and the Elves sometime tomorrow night perhaps…"

"That's insane! Are you positive of this?"

Adriel looked at the Goblin King with a look of concern. "Jareth…Morrigan has let loose her demon spawn. The war has started."

* * *

"Why?" Orin yelled, slamming his fist upon the desk that Morrigan sat behind. She ignored him, her eyes on the land outside the large bay window behind the desk of her combat room. Such a room hadn't been used in years, war never an option to anyone in the Underground since the Human's reign of the North. The sun was setting upon the Underground and the only light that would shine tonight in Vibanae would be the light from the fires that the villages and cities of her country would be reduced to. Tomorrow, only the ashes would remain- a required sacrifice for her ultimate prize.

"You released them on our people- your people! Why couldn't you have moved them to the border? Why are you letting them feed on our own?"

"They are also our own. So lost in their bloodlust, so overwhelmed by the need to feed…I feel so sorry for my little babies…they know not what they do."

"Morrigan, this is insane!"

"Is it, Orin?" She turned toward him, her chair rotating to face his angry form. "Is it truly insane to sacrifice a few lambs for the greater good of the future I see?"

"A few lambs? Our people are not livestock! Our people are not food!"

"Oh please, don't pretend to have a conscience now. You have stood idly by and watched me make these creatures- you've seen their lives crumble beneath my teeth and not once have you cared- just wait, dear boy. Wait and see what these coming weeks will bring us…"

Orin fought the urge in his body to tear her limb from limb, to just lunge at her right then and there. It would be so easy- to take his sword and plunge it through her- to watch her scream and cry as the life drained from her face.

"How could you have done this to your own country?"

She threw her head back and laughed, being as dramatic as ever, letting her shrieks get to the point of hurting his ears. "I have never cared for this country, Orin! These people, they are perfectly fine with settling for this icy wasteland of a home! We get no springs or summers- just dull winters filled with hardships and a second rate existence! If they knew about this plan a year ago they would have tried everything in their power to avoid it- they don't want confrontation from the other kingdoms because they fear what they can do to us! No more!"

She stood from her chair, leaning over her desk with a heated passion as she continued.

"I will not fear them for they are the weaker species! The elves, the fairie, the fae- they are all beneath us! We are the ultimate race- we are Gods in the eyes of those pathetic fools and there is no reason we shouldn't be treated as such! Look at what I have done- I have created life from something dead! I created these beings! No other creature can possibly match me!"

Orin watched her, taking note of the madness in her eyes as she spoke- Morrigan was certainly letting the power get to her head. She thought she was invincible- immortal in every way, shape and form- she thought she was a God.

"What you say is treason against the true Gods-"

Her laughing ceased as she stood immediately, slamming her hands down in an instant rage. "True Gods? There are no 'True Gods'! There is only us- there is only me! And all the stories of 'True Gods' have always been something that the old peoples have clung onto- where in any of those scrolls does it mention us- the vampyre? No where! But it does mention the others. Where does that leave us, Orin? It's obvious! We are the 'True Gods' and anyone who thinks otherwise will die by my own hands!"

"They will strike you down with their ultimate powers that be, Morrigan, mark me!"

"Do you not believe my words?" She pushed her chair aside, gracefully circling her desk, making her way closer to him. "Do you think I'm mad?"

"I think your letting the power of your minions cloud your judgment…" He said quietly, aware he walking on thin ice. He knew not to trust her movements for what he saw in her eyes was death itself.

"Oh, my sweet Orin…I think you may be right…" She collapsed against him, her arms wrapped around him and her face pressed against his chest as she pretended to cry. "I just so wish for this war to be over- for my prize to be delivered to me without the sacrifices…"

He took a breath, one hand caressing her hair as she wept and the other inkling to grasp his sword as his side. It would be so easy…He would just push her aside in haste and plunge the blade through her middle and proceed to tear her to pieces. Then he would win. Vibanae would be his before she had the chance to completely destroy it! He needed to save his Kingdom or he would ultimately rule over nothing!

And then he decided. Grasping the blade at his side, he pushed Morrigan away from him, bringing the sword up and aiming for her middle. But instead of seeing the life drain from her eyes, he felt a twinge of burning pain in his back and felt his legs give way as he went to his knees before her.

"You really thought I'd let you live long enough to turn on me?" She scoffed, a disgusted look on her face. She took another dagger from her dress, identical to the one she had just stabbed through his spine as he pushed her away, and pressed it against his throat.

"Please….Morrigan, I-" Orin stuttered, his end eminent.

"I know you went to see the Goblin King. I knew you'd try to take my prize form me eventually, but that truly was a surprise. Tell me, did he tell you to kill me?"

"Morrigan…please…" He repeated, his breathing erratic.

She sighed. "You useless wretch." And then she slit his throat, his cries turning into drowning gurgles as his blood flowed from his wound onto the marble floors. She licked the dagger and, with a satisfied look, sat back in her seat, looking back out the bay window as her guards took Orin's body away.

"My sweet Kingdom...My Underground...Mine..."

* * *

Sarah stood in shock as she saw her family- no, a memory of her family, before her mother had died. She was young, four or five years old, sitting up in bed, her mother and father standing in the doorway. "Are you okay Sarah?"

"Mom?" Sarah asked, reaching her hand out to her dead mother. How was such a thing possible?

Her young self started to cry, the nightmare she had just woken up from frightening her so. Her mother made her way to her and sat on the small bed, wrapping her arms around her. She could almost smell the scent of her day old perfume…

"It was only a dream, Sarah-it's okay."

"But they're coming to get me."

"No one is coming to get you, love." Her mother smiled warmly, promising safety.

"They were in my closet and under my bed…They pinched me, mommy!"

Her mother looked worried and kissed her forehead. "Everything is okay, Sarah. I promise. Do you want to come and sleep with me?"

Small Sarah nodded as her mother picked her up from her bed and rubbed her back in comfort the way mothers do. But as she left the room, she could hear her father whisper, "Why did you 'wish' her away? Now you've given her nightmares that someone's actually going to take her! I can't believe you put that nonsense into her head…"

The image before her dissolved into nothing, only leaving a bare Labyrinth wall behind.

She took a step forward, and once again, the scene changed. It was a valley, bare and littered with fires and smoke. In the distance she could see people- hundreds of people, making their way up hill toward her. What was going on?

"Help me! Help me please!" A woman yelled, a hand reaching for her. "They're coming! They won't stop!" The woman collapsed in Sarah's arms as she tried to assess what was happening. "Who's coming?"

"The fiends! They are not normal! They are not like the rest of us! They have gone mad!" The woman yelled, frantic as her eyes met Sarah's. They were red, dilated with fear. This woman was a vampyre.

"Where can we go?" Sarah asked, her own fear taking over. She remembered her first confrontation with Marielle when she was a ravaging monster and didn't want to stick around to get caught up in hundreds of them.

"The borders! We must go to the borders and beg for salvation from the Elves or the Fairie! Hurry- they're coming! They're coming!"

But suddenly they weren't just coming anymore; they were there, surrounding the two of them completely. They were animals, fangs bared, eyes frantic with hunger. The fear in Sarah's chest made her heart beat so hard and so fast that she thought it would explode. The woman grabbed onto her, the two of them standing back to back in the center of all the chaos.

"This is the end!" The woman cried. "We're doomed!"

And then they pounced, bodies piling up on them, screams erupting from them both. But before she could feel the pain of teeth ripping into her flesh, she felt that same pinch of pain in her chest just as before when she was trapped under Marielle. And blackness took over her vision…

"Are you lost?"

Sarah blinked, her eyes having been wet from tears she didn't know she let loose. The vision was gone now, it was just her, standing in the Labyrinth, a small little man with a long nose and long white beard waddling past.

"She's probably lost. They're always lost." His hat replied. It looked like a red bird, sitting on his head.

"No…I'm not lost." Sarah wiped the tears from her eyes, getting a strange feeling of nostalgia. She remembered this character. He was the man that turned out being completely unhelpful in her previous endeavors to beat the Labyrinth.

"Perhaps you're looking for something then, hm?" The old man replied, taking a seat on a stone bench.

"They're always looking for something. Whether it's this or that- they never find it!" The hat said back.

Sarah thought a moment. Was she looking for something? She was standing in the Labyrinth, the same place she had tried so hard to avoid and escape. But what if she stopped trying to run for once? What if she just listened?

"I'm not looking for anything. Maybe, just answers…" She said, approaching the man.

"In order to find answers you need to ask the right question." The man said, satisfied with his answer.

"How do I know what question I should be asking if I'm not sure of the answers I need?"

"What are you a child or somethin'? Get outa here with your questions!" The hat yelled. The man, annoyed, hit it with his walking cane in response, "Be quiet!"

After the bird silenced, he cleared his throat. "Well, my dear, what questions are plaguing you?"

"I want to know…why I'm here."

"That's not a question!"

She smiled, remembering the playful tricks of this place. "Why am I here?"

"You're here because you want to be. Is there any other reason why people are where they are?"

"What am I supposed to do?" She pressed, not knowing where her questions would lead her, if anywhere.

"You're supposed to do what you're told to do. You seem to be a good girl, miss. Why don't you do something helpful?"

"Yeah, do something helpful and scram…" The bird mumbled.

"Be quiet!" The man hit it with his cane again.

"Am I supposed to help those people? The people that are like Marielle?" Sarah asked. The man, in turn smiled at her. "Is that what you've been told to do?"

Sarah said nothing, just nodded in understanding as she turned to walk away.

"AHEM!" The bird piped up. "What, no tip?" A cup in the man's hand shook with expectation.

"Uhm.." Sarah looked on her person and didn't find anything she could give. All she had were the buttons that kept her blouse together. "I don't have-"

"Don't trouble yourself." The man said, holding out a closed hand to her. "I believe this belongs to you."

Sarah held out her hand, curious as the man dropped a small ring in her palm. It had been the same ring she had given him years ago to pay for the help he hadn't given her. She smiled and he bowed his head in response. "I think you will make a fine queen."

Feeling a little confused, Sarah turned her heel and walked away in a different direction, as if she knew exactly how to get back to the castle.

"Wait, so now you can just give away all our stuff just because some queen lady asks you some questions?" The bird hat yelled. But the man only replied with a snore, making his hat sigh in response. "I just love being your hat."

* * *

After wandering through the now familiar doorways and hidden walls of the Labyrinth, Sarah reached the entryway where she left a probably very worried Marielle. As she pressed her hand to the door to open it, she found herself smiling, feeling at ease, as though she knew her purpose. However, the good mood was shortly lived as she opened the door, a very angry looking Goblin King standing before her as if he knew that she was going to come through the door at that very same moment.

"Where have you been?" His voice bellowed, worry evident under his seemingly heated exterior. "Do you have the slightest idea what's going on?"

She took a step back from him and nodded. "Yes. I know exactly what's going on and I also know what to do about it."

Jareth grabbed her arm, bringing her to him. "No, Sarah, I don't think you know anything."

"The Labyrinth told me what to do." She pressed, not moving in his limp grip.

"The Labyrinth doesn't talk. That's not how it works. How could you be so irresponsible and just run back through those doors after what just happened not a few days ago?"

Instead of arguing back, like she normally would, Sarah smiled at him, making him confused. She removed her arm from his grip and instead, wrapped them both around his neck, bringing her lips to his ear. "Trust me, Goblin King. I know what to do."

"Oh Miss Sarah!" Marielle called, running toward the two. She stopped outside the doors, as if she feared entering. "Please, oh, please don't do that again! You frightened me so much!"

She removed herself from the puzzled King and went to Marielle, taking her hand. "I'm sorry. I don't know what made me so entranced…I won't do it again, I promise." As they began walking back, Jareth stayed behind, looking about the Labyrinth walls. "Do not drag her into my mess…" He whispered to it, "This is not her fight and I will not lose her again because of your agenda…"

He turned his heel and began to walk away before getting the eerie feeling that something was watching him. He turned again to see the old man with the bird hat standing there, leaning on his cane.

"Go, creature. Back to your hovel." He ordered. The old man only smiled at him before dissipating into the Labyrinth walls.

Perplexed, Jareth exited the Labyrinth, the doors closing behind him. His eyes glanced over the walls once more before he heard Sarah calling for him to hurry. "I mean it…" He said before heading back toward his new found happiness that he swore to himself he would not lose.

* * *

Forgive me for not updating sooner- aahhh, the woes of a college student! I actually had to write a play: A WHOLE ENTIRE PLAY and I will honestly say it is not the same as writing in a novel form and I suck at it. So, it kind of drained me from my writing…actually, it made me want to burn my laptop and never open another Microsoft word document. Ever.

Reviews appreciated! Good stuff is going to happen soon!


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